October 10, 2025
Being a mom is a beautiful yet demanding role. As a young mom, it can be challenging to balance time for various responsibilities, which range from caring for your little ones to keeping your home from falling into chaos. While it’s essential to prioritize your 24/7 role as a mother, it’s equally important to remember that moms deserve some self-care and love too. Self-care isn’t selfish; rather, it’s an essential practice that allows you to reconnect with your inner self, as well as help you recharge and focus throughout your busy days and nights.
As being a mom means always being on the go, there are a few ways to practice self-care while staying within a budget, including being able to practice most, if not all, the methods within the comfort of your own home. Making time for yourself allows you to maintain your emotional, physical, and mental health, which not only benefits you but also fosters a space where there’s more time to be present with your family and loved ones.
- Meditation: A Moment of Calm and Mindfulness
Being a young mom creates a constant demand for caring for your little ones, from sleepless nights to cooking dinners, so it may feel like there’s never a moment of stillness at home. However, meditation is one of the easiest (and cheapest, since it’s free) ways to clear the mind while bringing peace and balance into your life. As meditation is what you make of it, 10 to 30 minutes is just enough to reset your system, even in the midst of chaos. Practicing meditation is all about learning to center yourself, focus on your breath, and clear the mind of what you wish to let go of, such as stress, anxieties, and worries.
Starting such a practice is easy. In order to begin, sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and feel everything, hear everything; be still and be present. Make sure to focus on your breath, and breathe in, breathe out. The best way to focus on your breathing is to inhale deeply and exhale even deeper. The key here is to think about positive thoughts, while ensuring that you focus with clarity on the things that matter to you. It’s okay if your mind wanders, as that’s part of the process. Give yourself patience and grace.
- Going for a Walk
One of the easiest ways to get active in a way that is realistic to the busy schedule of a mom would be to go on a daily walk. Incorporating this habit into your daily routine can work wonders in alleviating tension and stress, while helping you get your steps in! Taking a walk doesn’t have to be hard and strenuous, because even 30 minutes a day can be beneficial to your physical and mental health.
A daily walk can range from walking around your neighborhood or at a community park that you love. Having fresh air and different scenery allows you to appreciate nature, while, in a way, you become a part of it too. The various responsibilities of being a mother fill the mind with so much that it only makes sense to go outside and get some sunlight, smell the flowers, and get some fresh air.
Walking also gives you a moment to reflect on your day, process your thoughts and emotions, and just recharge. You can walk with a friend or a family member, or even alone (if you feel safe enough). In a way, taking a walk is a form of nature therapy, as you can step away from the chaos of home and recharge your energy for another busy and eventful day. The best part about incorporating this routine into your schedule is that there is no special equipment needed—just you and nature!
- Yoga: Practicing Strength and Peace
I am a yoga fanatic. I do yoga at varying times throughout my day, depending on my day-to-day schedule, which can range from morning to evening to night. Creating this time in my personal schedule as a full-time student and part-time worker isn’t easy, but the love of the practice is what keeps me dedicated! Yoga has offered me a beautiful way to reconnect with myself in a spiritual, physical, and emotional sense, which I believe has so many benefits for the body and mind. It’s more than just a form of exercise, but rather a way to nourish the body in terms of gaining strength and flexibility.
Not only does yoga promote mindfulness and overall well-being, but it can be very fun! The best way to begin such a practice would be to change into something comfortable, like your favorite sweats or cozy leggings, and find a place at home or even outside on the grass to practice a flow. Yoga mats can be as affordable as ten dollars, which makes it easy to start. YouTube has provided me with various yoga teachers to follow, with favorites such as Yoga with Adriene, Yoga with Bird, and Yoga with Kassandra. Many of these videos are designed for busy moms, with practices ranging from 10 minutes to an hour—the video choice is up to you!
Incorporating such yoga practices into your daily or weekly schedule, whether it’s a gentle flow or a fast-paced one, will help build your physical state and provide mental clarity. Also, meditation can be done within a yoga flow—now that is self-care!
- Pampering Yourself: It’s The Little Things
Carving out time for yourself, especially when it comes to giving yourself a cute and fun beauty makeover, can be hard. Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming, as it can be as simple as painting your nails, putting on a face mask, or taking a bath. Pampering yourself at home can be like your own homemade spa, with the emphasis on taking care of you.
To start, maybe you’d like to finally have time to do your nails. You could grab your favorite nail polish, or buy some for really cheap in an arrangement of colors—you get to choose. It doesn’t have to be a perfect manicure, but even something as simple as giving yourself the time to care for your nails can help you feel more put together and polished (pun intended). Focusing on painting and drawing cute designs for your nails on yourself is a big difference from having to remove paint from the walls that your kids may have surprised you with, so make sure to enjoy this time for yourself.
Similarly, putting on a face mask can help create a skincare routine for yourself. Or maybe you’d like to take a cozy bath with some nice bath bombs and gentle products like lavender oil, some candles, and play some soft and calming music. Self-care is about giving yourself the time of day to focus on yourself and feel good in your own skin. Sometimes, it’s the little things throughout the day to pamper yourself that will make you feel restored and refreshed!
- Reading a Book or Watching a Favorite Movie
Maybe there’s a book you bought months ago that you haven’t had time to read, or maybe you have that favorite movie that’s been waiting just as long for you to rewatch it. Finding that time of day as a mother to indulge in reconnecting with interests such as reading and watching a movie can be hard, but it’s important to remind yourself that you deserve little mental getaways.
Reading is a fantastic way to put yourself in another world, while giving your brain a break from the constant responsibilities of being a mom. Your book can be sci-fi, romance, comedy, or self-care tips—choose what speaks to you, and what makes you feel best. It’s easy to turn reading into a bedtime routine, as it can be a great way to unwind, especially after a long day.
On the other hand, rewatching a favorite movie can give you a moment to cry if you need it, to laugh, or even just to reminisce on nostalgia. It can be a beautiful time to rewatch things that bring back old memories and feelings. Taking time to enjoy a book or movie is a perfect way to be entertained, while also learning what you like!
Whether it’s finding quiet moments to meditate and do yoga, enjoying nature with a walk, pampering yourself at home, or getting lost in some of your favorite worlds when it comes to reading or rewatching a favorite film, you deserve it. Taking time for self-care as a mom is not selfish; rather, it helps you become a better mom. Being able to reconnect with yourself and making that part of your routine is important to be able to feel well and to be there for your children and family in your most authentic self.
Self-care doesn’t need to be time-consuming; it just has to be intentional. Allow yourself time to fill up, while knowing that you deserve the same love and care that you give to your children. You got this, mama!
About the Author
Karen M. Camacho, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, began creating design content for South Project in August of 2025 and is now pursuing her passion for writing blogs as well. She is currently pursuing a B.S. in Visual Communications Design at San Francisco State University, with a minor in Marketing. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her partner and loved ones, practicing yoga, writing poetry, rewatching her favorite shows, and traveling.