Prepare yourself with a summer self care plan! Take steps to fill up your cup and enjoy your days with your kids this summer!
My kids are done with school in just over a week, and I know some school’s summer breaks have started already! While I’m definitely looking forward to sleeping in and lazy mornings, not having to wake my kids up every morning and get them out the door, I also realize it’s going to be an adjustment for all of us to be home together all day. Every day.
So, I’ve been putting together a plan for things I can do to intentionally take care of myself over summer break. Especially with being pregnant and entering my third trimester, I know how important it is for me to fill up my own cup and prepare myself for the longer days of mothering ahead.
Here’s how I’m planning to take care of myself this summer, hopefully you’ll find some inspiration to create a Summer Self Care Plan too!
*Image from Seeking to Glorify
Summer Self Care Plan for Moms
A Morning Routine
I have found that having a morning routine is one of the most important things I can do to prepare myself for the day ahead. Especially in the summer when I know I’m going to be with my kids all day, I need that quiet time in the morning that’s just for me. Here’s what I usually try to include in my morning routine.
• Getting up before the kids
I admit that I’m a pretty lucky mama when it comes to this one. My kids like to sleep in. Most mornings I have to wake them up for school, so in the summer they are more than happy to sleep until their bodies wake them up – usually around 7:30 or 8:00am.
This gives me the opportunity to wake up a little earlier then they do and have some quiet moments to myself in the morning. I know this isn’t possible for every mama, but if you can make it happen, waking up before your kiddos can give you a great start to your day!
• Coffee
Oh how I love my morning cup of coffee. It’s something I look forward to when I go to bed the night before. In the summer I love iced coffee with my homemade vanilla coffee creamer.
• Refocusing Time
I don’t subscribe to daily “quiet time” or “devotion time”, because it had turned into a legalistic and guilt inducing thing for me. But, I still believe in the importance of a daily spiritual practice that helps to refocus my mind and my heart. So for me, this might be reading my Bible, meditating, praying, journaling, or just listening to some worship music. There are no rules here – just enjoying God’s presence as the Spirit leads me.
Make Showers a Priority!
Okay, we’re all friends here, so we can be honest that as moms of little ones we don’t always get to shower as often as we would like to, right?! Sometimes it’s just not high on the priority list.
But this summer, I think it should be. So, whether we get up and shower before our kids wake up or our husband leaves for work , or we put on a Netflix show while we jump in, showering can help us to feel better about ourselves and ready for the day ahead!
Get Dressed and Ready for the Day
It can be so easy to stay in pjs or yoga pants all day, everyday, when we’re at home in the summer. Instead, taking the time to getting dressed can help us to be prepared for whatever the day throws at us. Along with showering regularly, make it a habit to get dressed in clothes that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen in at the grocery store. And maybe even put on a little makeup too.
I always feel so much better when I’m dressed and ready for the day. I think it helps me to be more productive too! And then, when it’s 1:30pm and you’re not sure how you can handle the noise for 5 more minutes, you’re all set to load the littles into the car and head out to the park, a friend’s house, or even a surprise trip for ice cream.
Work Movement into Your Day
This is such an important one for me as I approach the end of my pregnancy and preparing for a new baby. I know I won’t be able to work out, in the traditional sense, with my kids home all day. But my growing belly does turn just about any task into one where my breathing is rapid and my heart is pounding!
So, I’m thinking about intentional movement, like going for a walk, squeezing in a quick barre workout, simple strength training moves with my 3 lb. weights, or even just stretching or doing yoga for 15 minutes. Making sure to fit this kind of movement into my days can help to boost my mood, increase my energy, prepare my body for labor and postpartum recovery, and relieve pregnancy aches and pains. How can you fit movement or exercise into your days this summer?
Time for Inspiration
In the midst of the daily and mundane things we so to keep our homes running smoothly, we can still find ways to stay motivated and inspired! My biggest secret to actually enjoying housework and cooking is to listen to audiobooks and podcasts.
I love the feeling that I’m learning, or engaging, or getting inspired while doing things I would have to do anyway like vacuuming, washing dishes, folding laundry, or cooking dinner. It makes that time seem doubly productive!
I listen to audiobooks using Audible (you can get two free audiobooks when you sign up!) and this bluetooth headset. This is the main way that I “read” books these days!
But, I’m also planning to make daily reading time a regular part of our summer plan and routine. I want to continue to instill in my kids a love for reading and I think it’s so important for them to see their mama taking time out to just sit and read!
Bullet Journaling
I recently discovered bullet journaling and I am hooked! I keep kicking myself that I didn’t check out this method of daily planning and journaling a year or so ago when I first heard about it. It fits exactly with the way my mind works, and helps to keep all of my crazy thoughts and lists organized in one place in an easy to use format.
If you haven’t tried bullet journaling yet, I just want to encourage you to check it out. I love planners and making lists, but have always been frustrated by their limitations and inability to fit my needs as a work at home mama that has to juggle homemaking, family, and working tasks and schedules simultaneously. But bullet journaling is completely customized by you to fit your life and your needs! I’m telling you, it’s amazing. And it’s going to help me get through this summer without losing my mind!
Check out this video for an overview of bullet journaling, and I love this post and video for more details about how you can customize it to work for you!
So that’s my basic self-care plan for the summer, these six things will help me to be ready and prepared for making the most of these summer days, and allow me to fill up my cup so I can pour into my kiddos and enjoy our days together!
How are you planning to care for yourself this summer? I’d love to hear your self-care tips and ideas in the comments!
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