A Parents’ Guide to Budget-Friendly Self-Care for Everyday Life
Parenting life is stressful. Any life is stressful! But we can learn to relieve stress and take care of ourselves, allowing us to show up as the best version of ourselves. Effective self-care is healthy for us and our families. And gratefully, self-care doesn’t have to consume all our time or finances. These budget-friendly self-care ideas for parents will help you live your best life on any budget.
The following is a guest post by Emma Grace Brown.
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It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed at times as a parent. According to Parenting Science, parenting stress can leave you feeling like you can’t cope with your maternal or paternal duties. Such sentiments may be exacerbated if you’re a single parent or have especially young children. Lovin’ Life with Littles provides a welcoming community that you can turn to for emotional support and guidance when you’re feeling like you are in over your head. This kind of network is invaluable for parents who may feel like they’re going it alone.
Investing more energy into your own self-care is another valuable step you can take towards minimizing parenting stress. That doesn’t mean you have to invest a lot of money, however. Read on for time-efficient and budget-friendly self-care tips for busy parents.
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Find ways to save money and time while eating healthier
A healthy diet is important for everyday well-being, giving you the energy you need to thrive while caring for your kids. Meal prepping can save you time and money in the kitchen.
A slow cooker is a handy investment, allowing you to make big batches of tasty foods, from chili to beef tacos. You can freeze some dishes, like stews, to reheat later, minimizing waste and saving money. Country Living Magazine offers a list of 90-plus slow cooker recipes to inspire you.
Embrace affordable home workouts
Exercise is another important element of self-care. Regular physical activity improves your strength, flexibility, and coordination. Psychology reveals that exercise is also good for your mental health, reducing the risk of anxiety and depression.
If you have trouble getting to the gym, why not try home workouts? Many courses are available for free online. You can even incorporate your child into your exercise routine. Baby Chick describes ways to incorporate your child into your workout, from racing each other to stretching together. Seasonal activities like swimming or sledding are also a fun way to stay fit as a family.
Ramp up your support network to help with your self-care agenda
If you are struggling to find the time for self-care, look at ways to boost your support network. Maybe you have a partner who can chip in more or a family member who can help. You can also build up a support network to help you implement your self-care agenda.
For example, if you’re struggling to maintain an exercise routine, a wellness professional can motivate you. Work-for-hire platforms have fitness, nutrition, and general wellness experts you can turn to for guidance. You can read reviews and compare costs before hiring an expert, ensuring you find someone who suits your price point.
Find affordable ways to keep everyday stress at bay
Every day, try to set aside just 15 minutes of time devoted totally to self-care. The point is to do something that you simply enjoy — not for any purpose other than that.
The Every Girl provides a list of cheap self-care activities that take 15 minutes or less, including a DIY facial massage and guided journaling. You might also consider using your 15 minutes to meditate. According to a study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, just 15 minutes of meditation per day can improve well-being.
As the above guide has hopefully made clear, self-care doesn’t have to cost you a lot in terms of time or money. Putting some extra effort into your own wellbeing will allow you to keep parenting stress in check and be the best parent that you can possibly be.
What else do you do for budget-friendly self-care? Share in the comments!
Guest blogger Emma Grace Brown lives her life by her rules; and it works! When she’s not snuggling puppies, Emma promotes female empowerment through her website. Her mission is to help those who live with self-doubt to realize they don’t have to mold themselves to conventionality.
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