Mom break ideas - take care of yourself

Sometimes we mommies need a break. Ideally, I would say we can take at least one little mom break per day. To be fully present with our kids and provide what they need, we also need to take care of ourselves.

There is a lot of advice out there on how to do self-care and how to treat yourself as a mom. A lot of it includes big get-aways and costly spa options. Those are great if you have the time and money and indeed excellent to try to do from time to time. But let’s be honest and look at it from a day-to-day perspective. You might need a little break today and not only in a couple of months from now.

How can I take a daily mom break?

Let’s look at ten practical and straightforward mom break ideas for our daily busy lives with the kids. Especially if you are like me, you might also be switching between diapers, preparing food, and organizing the household, and being left with little time for yourself in the early days of motherhood. Still, we must recharge our batteries to be the best mommy we can be.

I suggest that even a ten-minute break can make a big difference and make us feel more relaxed again – 10 minutes of your valuable time, which you should intentionally plan for yourself every day. (There are, of course, no limits to more… 😉).

If your children are still taking naps, use this time. If not, you might have to postpone your “Me-Time” to the evening after you have put the little ones to bed. Or maybe at some point, your husband is at home and can take care of the kids, or you can bring the toddler over to Grandma’s house while your baby is napping.

So, let’s look at 10 ideas for little day-to-day 10-minute mom breaks. You can implement all ideas directly from home and you don’t have to leave the house to get your time-out.

1) Coffee/tea (or juice 😉) mom break

Take 10 minutes, put your feet up and enjoy your time with a (hot!) coffee or tea. Or juice… or whatever you like the most and feels like a small treat to your taste buds.

Remember: your profession is “mommy”. Regardless of whether you work full-time or part-time or don’t work another job – a coffee break is an integral part of the day – why not enjoy this time-out at home as a mom too?

2) Shower or bath mom break

This one is especially nice to enjoy in the evening after the kids are put to bed. Take your time and enjoy a nice warm shower or a bath. Intentionally relax all your muscles under the water and take deep breaths. You can also do that during your baby’s nap time and find 10 minutes of rest in the bathroom like that.

3) Time for a hobby

That could be everything: reading, baking, gardening or maybe even online shopping. Even if it might not work out right away when your baby is still little and depending on what your hobby is – don’t be discouraged. The time will come again as your kids get older. It is still important to keep your hobbies in mind so that you can implement them better and better over time.

4) A little wellness

Treat yourself to a face mask, a foot bath or paint your nails. Just because you’re a mommy doesn’t mean you have to neglect these things. It doesn’t always have to be a great wellness vacation. Some regular beauty time at home can make a big difference in how you feel. If it doesn’t work right away without interruption, maybe you can even involve your child in this “break” once he or she is old enough?

5) Sport or exercise

You might feel exhausted enough after a day with your children. That is completely understandable. However, regular exercise is important in order to stay fit and feel energized. Workouts can help you reducing stress, finding balance and feeling more relaxed. No matter if you are just starting out after having given birth or if you are an advanced sports lady, there are lots of 10mins workout ideas on YouTube to get inspired by and motivated to stay active.

6) Meetings or calls with your best friend

Interactions with your best friend can work miracles – just take some time to chat on the phone or meet in the afternoon and let your kids play together. You will see how much of a difference it makes to have a quality conversation with another adult at least once during your day. You will feel much more motivated again to truly interact and be present with your little ones too.

7) Eat chocolate or your favorite candy

Treat yourself to some delicious chocolate or whatever your favourite candy is. Without sharing, without feeling guilty, just enjoy every bite and drink something nice with it. Sometimes a small snack break like that can lighten the mood and satisfy some cravings.

And when you are at it put your legs up, take your phone and read through these beautiful, inspirational mom quotes. I promise you that it will brighten up your day!

8) Power Nap mom break

So called “power naps” can work wonders and quickly recharge your physical mom batteries. With this one, 10mins might be a bit too short but also make sure you don’t sleep longer than 20-30mins. Otherwise your body will fall into a deep sleep and it will be hard to wake up. Worst case you might feel more tired than before. Simply set an alarm on your phone and enjoy this short time of sweet dreams.

9) Listen to music

Sit down, find your favorite songs, pull your playlist on Spotify and reminisce about old times or experiences that you associate with certain music. Of course, you can also sing along and relax that way. Singing is scientifically proven to release stress and help you cope with difficult situations. Try out if it works for you!

10) Already laughed today?

Well, if you can’t laugh at your own jokes, you can grab your mobile phone for this point. Find funny videos on YouTube or another platform and laugh loud and hearty. We just do this too rarely, there is nothing better than when your stomach hurts with laughter and you can release some stress that way. It gets even better when you get to share the laugh, so make sure you forward some of the comedy to another mommy friend, who you think could use some cheering up for her day too.

So, I hope that I was able to inspire you a little bit with those 10 ideas. Maybe from now on you will intentionally take some time to switch off, clear your head and enjoy at least one day-to-day mom break somewhere between everything else going on.

And, two more things:

Time-out’s are also good for dad

Whether after work, during the home office, on public holidays or on weekends, it is important that both parents find time for themselves. For example, if you, as a mom, dress up and get the kids ready, your partner has a little time to breathe for himself. But also, the other way around, when it’s dad’s turn to put your kids to bed, you have time for your mom break! Talk to each other about it and support each other in it.

Relaxing, switching off and recharging your batteries is just as good for dad and should not be neglected. Independent on what your everyday life with your children looks like, it is important that both come to rest and that you as a couple find your own pace.

Remember to take breaks as a couple too

In the evenings when the little ones are in bed, many parents are tired of all the hustle and bustle from the day and don’t want to do anything anymore. This is perfectly normal, and you are certainly not the only ones if you feel that way. But if you still have a spark of energy left, you can enjoy your togetherness and try to pursue some common interests.

It could be a cosy movie night, doing some sports together or just chatting. It’s different from partnership to partnership. The main thing is that it feels right for you as a couple and both of you can relax. Even if it might seem difficult during certain parenting stages, it is important to take out time for the partnership.

Maybe it has been a while since your last date? Try to organize a babysitter or involve the grandparents, get all dressed up and go out for a fancy meal together. You will see what a difference it can make to intentionally take time only for each other again.