As a homemaker, our lives can become fairly busy. We balance caring for our home, nurturing our families, helping our neighbors, and joining in with our community. There are times when our schedules are so full, we tend to neglect one of the most important issues – and that is self care for the homemaker!
The Importance of Self-Care for the Homemaker
As the primary caretaker for our homes, families and faith, homemakers mark these two things as priorities. In reality they definitely are, but the problem comes when we neglect to add ourselves to that short list.
Taking care of ourselves is just as crucial as taking care of the other priorities in our life. Without self care for the homemaker, we run the risk of becoming drained physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If we aren’t careful, we may have no choice but to succumb to exhaustion which can in turn result in more serious illnesses.
The act of self care for the homemaker is finding things that can nurture every part of your body – from the physical to the ‘invisible’ aspects of mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. By engaging in these activities, you will better be able to relieve stress, clear your mind, relax your body, and strengthen your focus.
The Signs You are Becoming Overwhelmed
Dictionary.com in part defines Overwhelm as: “to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything”. Without managing it, overwhelm can quickly turn into stress and worry. All three of these can result in negative affectations of your thought process, emotions, physical and mental health – and if too severe, antagonistic behavior.
It can also lead to serious physical problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, significant weight gain/loss, and other issues.
Some of the signs of Overwhelm and stress include:
Physical
- Headaches
- Stomach issues
- Low or No energy
- Muscle Tension
- Elevations in heart rate
- Insomnia
- Physical Ailments, such as more frequent colds
- Nervousness
Mental, Emotional and Behavioral
- Racing and or negative thoughts
- Sense of losing control
- Lack of Focus
- Becoming frustrated and agitated
- Feeling of loneliness and worthlessness
- Unjustified anger and/or guilt
- Forgetful
- Lack of appetite (or overeating)
- Increased usages of alcohol, smoking or drug
- Increased nervous habits
- Excessive worry and negativity
- Procrastination
It’s All About ‘Me’
No matter how hard we try to avoid it, for many of us how we are perceived by others is a concern. The last thing we want to do is to appear selfish and self-centered. These two negative personality traits are the biggest reasons we fail to take better care of ourselves.
But provided it isn’t the only focus, self care for the homemaker isn’t a matter of being selfish or self-centered. Instead, it is literally taking time to care for your personal well-being. Think of it as a doctor’s appointment. Even if all you are doing is going in for a yearly checkup, no one thinks you are being selfish. Instead, they think you are making a smart decision.
For 30 minutes to an hour a day, a few hours total over the course of a week, or even for a full day once or twice a month, it is time to make it all about ‘Me’. How and when you schedule Me time, and what activity you engage in, is totally up to you. The important thing is to literally schedule it on your calendar and DO it.
Get Excited About It
Do you remember when you were anticipating going out on a date with someone special? There is a good chance you were excited about it. You spent time choosing the right thing to wear, took extra time and care getting ready, and had a spring in your step and a smile that reached from your face down to your very soul.
This is how you should look at your self-care time. Get excited. Make it fun. Even if all you have time for is 30 minutes with a good book, make a simple production out of it.
Pour yourself a cup of your favorite hot beverage, or a tall glass of iced-cold lemonade or sweet tea. Set out a plate of your favorite snacks – from fresh vegetables and fruit to cookies or a lemon bar or two. Then settle in, relax and enjoy your ‘date’!
Make Self Care for the Homemaker Work for You
Learn to Prioritize
The first step in self care for the homemaker is knowing that you have everything you possibly can under control. First and foremost, identify your priorities, such as home, family and faith. It also means being aware of the lifestyle you have chosen and making sure anything and everything you do falls within the parameters of that lifestyle.
Stay Organized
This can be a simple as maintaining a cleaning schedule to keeping your finances in order. It is also helpful to keep and maintain a schedule for daily and future activities.
How To Make Time for YOU
There are many ways you can foster self care for the homemaker. Some of them include:
- Eating Healthy
- Staying Hydrated
- Getting Plenty of Rest (not just sleep!)
- Taking a moment to rest your eyes
- Spending time with friends and family
- Avoiding television
- Having a set bedtime (and sticking to it)
- Learn to say ‘No’
- Keep your Finances in Order
- Practice the art of delegation
- Refraining from alcohol, drugs, and other addictive behaviors
You can also engage in active pursuits. Some of these are:
Cultural Pursuits –
- Movies
- Museums (especially living museums such as Melrose Plantation, Shaker Village, and others)
- Volunteering
- Charitable Events
- Sports, Dance and Music-related activities
- Hiking
- Visiting National Parks
Education
- Adult Education Classes
- Getting a GED / College Degree
- Learning new Crafts/Hobbies
Personal
- Reading a Good Book
- Afternoon Tea
- Spa Days
- Pursuing favorite hobbies or crafts
- Quiet Time – (can include anything from taking a nature walk, or even getting some much-needed sleep)
- Coffee with a friend or neighbor
- Social activities or day trips with like-minded friends
“You cannot pour anything out of an empty cup. We have a tendency to give everything we have away, and then feel guilty because we can’t do more.”
– Patti M. Williams, LPC, LMFT
Take Self-Care Seriously
Do you ever feel that empty inside? Then maybe it is time to replenish your cup and take a bit of time to fill it with refreshment for your body, mind, and soul.
Get organized. Schedule daily quiet time. Visit with a friend. Pamper yourself. Discover and follow your passions. Learn to dream. Find ways to take care of yourself, so you can offer more to those people, things, and activities that need your time, attention, and focus.
It may just be the difference between living a happy, healthy, simple life and dreading each day that comes.
This Post is served with a Dish of ‘Homemaker Helper’
If this post resonated with your busy lifestyle and you want to learn a bit more about self-care for the homemaker, then my eBook Homemaker Helper is great place to start!
There are plenty of products on the market that offer to help make dinner faster, cleaning easier, and your garden more productive. If it is a task of the homemaker, you can find something that is touted to make your life ‘simpler’.
But what about the Homemaker? Sometimes it isn’t about putting dinner on the table faster or owning fifty cleaning products that don’t work as well as claimed. What we need is help for us. And we don’t want or need the preservatives, additives, or chemicals. We just want some respite!
That’s where the Homemaker Helper eBook comes in. This eBook has over 100 tips, checklists, recipes, and ideas to help you overcome the maladies that we sometimes suffer – like frustration, burnout, depression, and more.
Are you ready to supply your special ‘first-aid’ kit? Then just click the image above and find out how to stock it!
