by Last Updated on November 20, 2023 by Avia
Can you use balance and motherhood in the same sentence? There’s so much involved in motherhood, including putting your wants and needs second to your child’s, that a balanced life seems like a dream. Fortunately, finding balance in your busy life is possible if you’re open to trying ways to get there that are less tangible and more conceptual, like utilizing mindful motherhood practices and spirituality at the forefront.
Achieving harmony and balance in the journey of motherhood can be much more manageable when you’re fully present and grounded in something bigger than yourself.
If you’re ready to become more spiritually active, take better care of yourself, and adopt a more mindful approach to motherhood to achieve balance among the busyness, these tips are for you.
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Envision What True Balance Looks Like
Balance looks different for every mom. What does it look like for you? Defining your vision for true balance will help you devise a practical way to get to that vision from where you are. You can determine the most efficient steps to achieve the balance you’re looking for considering your current busy schedule.
For example, let’s say balance for you looks like going to sleep earlier to get the recommended 7 hours per night and having 30 minutes to yourself per day to engage in self-care. Right now, you’re only getting four hours of sleep per night and don’t do any kind of self-care.
Your next steps might be moving your child’s nap up early in the day so they fall asleep earlier at night. If they’re waking up during the night, you’ll need to pinpoint why to help you get 7 consecutive hours of sleep.
As for self-care, you could talk to your partner about taking your child for an hour a day so you can do something that makes you happy every day and have time to clean up and reengage with the family.
Decide what balance looks like in your life. Then, make plans for bridging the gap from where you are to your vision.
Make Time for Self-Care
Motherhood is so busy that you could always make the excuse of not having time or space to take care of yourself — if you wanted to. But to achieve balance, you need to commit to making time for yourself.
It needs to be built into your every day so that it becomes a habit. Also, it might be difficult at first to make time for self-care. But you’ll eventually learn how to get creative and fit it around your responsibilities as a mom.
For example, getting physical activity every day is a simple self-care practice that benefits you physically, mentally, and emotionally. That said, finding time for a 30-minute home workout or hour gym session isn’t doable for many mothers.
Micro workouts are a good alternative when you’re busy. You do 10 minutes or less of focused, intense work and then rest. Consistently engaging in micro workouts can help you boost your metabolism, build muscle, lose weight, and improve your overall health and fitness. In addition, you release feel-good endorphins when you exercise, boosting your mood and reducing stress.
Make a list of self-care activities you like to do and those that you’re interested in trying. Determine how much time you have for self-care each day. Talk to your partner about helping with your young children for that amount of time each day to help you engage in self-care without feeling guilty or rushed.
If you’re not sure what self-care activities to start with, here are a few ideas:
- Journal
- Paint or draw
- Eat three good meals a day
- Watch the sunset every night
- Watch an episode of your favorite show
- Spend time in nature to reset mentally and spiritually
- Call your best friend and chat at the same time each night
The list of self-care activities is endless. Think about your needs and interests when designing your self-care routine, and don’t be afraid to adjust it as you learn more about the best ways to take care of your mind, body, and spirit.
Study Mindfulness and Spirituality
There’s a lot of research on what mindfulness and spirituality are and how to be more mindful and embrace spirituality in your every day. This is a good thing because it means there’s enough advice out there for you to find practices that fit you.
However, it also means you’ll come across misinformation about mindfulness and spirituality. Making sure you’re only absorbing and adopting tips that are accurate and from credible sources is critical for a positive experience with mindfulness and spirituality that actually works for you.
Learn things like spirituality-based self-care, religion, mindfulness, cultural deities, and so forth, from journals and websites that can prove their authority. You can also lean on people who specialize in spirituality or mindfulness, like a certified yoga or meditation instructor or a pastor.
Study mindfulness and spirituality so that you know what you’re getting yourself into.
Lead With Empathy in All Interactions With Your Child
Taking a holistic, mindful approach to motherhood will also assist you in achieving balance in your busy life.
How you interact with your child will affect both of you mentally and emotionally. It’s nearly impossible to become more centered, present, and positive if your relationship with your child is built on impatience, negativity, and instability.
Leading with empathy in all interactions with your child is a good first step in the direction of mindful motherhood. Put yourself in your child’s shoes and make a conscious effort to relate to how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking and experiencing.
Doing so will help you come from a place of love and understanding, even in the most difficult situations. As a result, both of you will remain emotionally and mentally strong, rather than sinking your relationship with negative reactions and behaviors towards one another.
Do Mindful Motherhood Activities Together
You don’t have to take this mindfulness and spirituality journey alone. Doing it with your child would benefit both of you tremendously. You’ll find that balance in your life, and your child will learn to do the same by watching you and can take the practices with them into adulthood.
Do activities together that help you both embrace more mindfulness and happiness in your lives.
For example, parties can help you foster emotional, social, and cognitive development in your kids. As they interact with others, they build confidence, learn empathy, and grow language and sharing skills. Also, you both may form friendships that help you keep moving toward a more positive, balanced life.
Try other mindful motherhood and spiritually-based activities with your child, like:
- Doing mindful art projects
- Reading spirituality books
- Learning how to pray together
- Going on a nature walk once a week
- Taking kid-friendly yoga or meditation classes
Taking the mindful motherhood journey together will put you and your child on a path to true balance in your lives.
About the Author: Ainsley Lawrence is a writer who loves to talk about good health, balanced life, and better living through technology. She is frequently lost in a good book.
