It’s easy to let self-care fall by the wayside when caring for little ones– but that doesn’t make it any less important. It’s hard to be there for others when you aren’t there for yourself. To help you to get a better grasp on what self-care can mean for you, here’s an exploration of five main types of self-care and how you can implement them in your life.

Social Self Care. One of the five main types of self-care we’ll be covering is social self care. Social self-care has to do with making time to have interactions outside of the house. Make time to meet up with a friend in person or virtually at least once per week. Taking up a sport like tennis, pickle ball or golf is a great way to meet new friends. If you are not into sports, take a line dancing or sewing class. This can be difficult when your little one is young, and you only have time at odd hours– in this case, you can get your social fill using sites like EventBrite or Meetup, where you can attend online courses and meetings at whatever times work for you.

Physical Self Care. Getting moving is a fun, easy way to improve your mental health and care for yourself– no physical machines or time at the gym needed. The only thing you need is movement. For a fun and active option, all you need is your body, a playlist, and some room– dance it out! If  traditional exercise is more your speed, consider taking a walk daily by yourself or with a friend or significant other for safety! If you’d like something more fast-paced, look up no-equipment workouts on Google for some great options! 

Intellectual Self Care. Your little one isn’t the only one that needs to use that fabulous brain of theirs– you should use yours, too! Listening to podcasts like Ologies, The Happiness Lab, or anything else that interests you can be a great way to exercise your thinking muscles; if you’re feeling more adventurous, consider using Khan Academy to learn a new math skill!

Vocational Self Care. If something in your career ecosystem feels “off”, it can set your whole world off-kilter. So how can we restore balance? Consider taking free courses on Alison  or LinkedIn Learning  to get stronger bearings in your current field.

Spiritual Self Care. An easy way to help your world feel “right” is to get in touch with something higher than yourself, be it simply a belief the world will ultimately turn out okay or belief in a more traditional form of religion. You can explore your current or a new faith through books, as well as by asking others how they find meaning in their world. You may be surprised at the extent of beauty, depth, and meaning in the outlook of the people you meet!

It’s important to care for yourself so you can effectively care for those around you– and just because you’re you and that means you’re important, incredible, and one-of-a-kind! There’s no one out there quite like you, and it’s important you know that. Know that you are the best person you have to walk the path of life with.