Self-Care Strategies for Single Mothers

By: Channette Brown, MSW Intern

How many times as a single mother you have wondered how to incorporate self-care? Or you repeatedly say you are going to carve out time for yourself and you fail to do it. You may even ask yourself, “how can I incorporate self-care when there is always something to do whether that is work, school, extracurricular activities for your children or taking care of aging parents?”

Well, it is funny you ask. While self-care can be a challenging task for some, it is not as bad as you may think. Simply put, self-care is incorporating things into your life that work for YOU. It does not have to be the glitz and glam of what social media may say it is or even spending money.

Self-care could be sitting in your car for 15 minutes in complete silence, taking a walk and enjoying nature, enjoying aromatherapy in your home such as a lovely lavender scent or having lunch with a friend you had not spoken with in a long time. No matter what it entails, it is making sure you are doing those things you absolutely enjoy without feeling guilty about doing it.

Self-care has different pillars that include mental, emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, recreational, and social. While I know it can be daunting to think about incorporating self-care into all these categories, you do not have to all at once. Focus on what you need at the time.

Let’s take a dive into mental self-care. An advantage of incorporating self- care is your mental health. Your mental health depends on self-care, which not only enhances your emotional well-being but also helps lower stress, anxiety and depression. You will have more energy and mental clarity to handle everyday tasks when you put your health first. Incorporating self- care is also a terrific opportunity to demonstrate to your kids how important it is.

So, tell me, are you willing to commit to scheduling time and incorporating self-care? Let’s give it a try. Take the first step by being intentional and allowing time to pour back into YOU. You won’t regret it! I’m rooting for you and always remember a healthy mom, a healthy life.

“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” -Unknown