The Ultimate Guide to Emotional Self-Care

For us moms, emotional self-care should be our top priority.

Hey Mamas! Now, hear me out!

It’s because our emotional well-being impacts the emotional well-being of our children.

If you have a spouse, your emotional health also affects them. I’ve written frequently about the importance of self-care. To me, it means paying attention to our own needs and well-being, so we can keep ourselves healthy and happy.

It’s not selfish. If we take care of ourselves, we are more likely to be in a position where we can help others, too. The most important part of self-care, for me, is emotional self-care (though I do need other types as well!). Because being a mom is hard. Whether you’re a single mother with no other help or have a traditional family. Both working and non-working parents alike have it hard.

And moms who work outside the home juggle all their workplace responsibilities while also taking care of their kids. It can be overwhelming! I know this because I’m a working mom myself. So here’s how I maintain my emotional well-being by prioritizing my emotional self-care.

What is Emotional Self-Care?

Emotional self-care is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean to practice emotional self-care? At its core, emotional self-care is about paying attention to your feelings and making sure you take care of yourself mentally.

This includes the feelings you have about yourself (self-esteem), the feelings you have in relationships with others (interpersonal skills), and your reactions to things that happen in your life (coping).

Emotional self-care is not just about avoiding or ignoring negative emotions or pretending everything is always all right. Instead, it’s an opportunity to recognize how you feel and then choose how you want to respond.

It can be difficult to find time to take care of yourself when you’re busy taking care of others, but it’s important that you do so. Emotional self-care helps prevent burnout and depression, as well as anxiety and other negative emotions.

As with any kind of self-care, emotional self-care can look different depending on what works best for you—and there isn’t one right way to do it! A great way to guarantee you are prioritizing your emotional health is through our FREE Monthly Emotional Self-Care Checklist!

Here are some signs that show when emotional self-care is needed:

Feeling overwhelmed by life in general (not just work or school)
Finding it difficult to concentrate on tasks at hand because of bad thoughts passing through your mind
Experiencing relationship issues with friends or family members

Learn more about self-care by reading the article The Importance of Self-Care by Judy Rooney, LCSW!

Why is Emotional Self-Care Important?

Emotional self-care is important for 6 reasons:

To take care of yourself. Emotional self-care helps you love and nourish your body, your mind, and your heart. It also helps you manage stress and anxiety so that you can be kind to yourself during difficult times.

To take care of others. If we’re not taking care of ourselves, it’s much harder to be present with others in a way that feels authentic or meaningful. By prioritizing our own mental health first, we can better use the rest of our energy on making relationships work—whether those are friendships or romantic partnerships!

To take care of the world. When we are feeling good physically and mentally (which comes from self-care), we have more energy available to fight climate change or help raise money for charity organizations.

To be more resilient. Which means you are able to bounce back after stressful events. Resilient people are better able to handle the ups and downs of life without feeling like they can’t cope or that things will never get better.

To be more productive. By helping you focus on what’s important and not getting distracted by things that aren’t crucial for your well-being (e.g., checking social media). When we’re feeling good about ourselves, we generally make smarter decisions about how best to spend our time—we’re not wasting energy on worrying about unimportant things!

Breaking bad habits. If you have bad habits that prevent emotional health (e.g., overeating), then emotional self-care will help break those habits by making sure they don’t negatively impact how we feel on a daily basis. For example, if someone is constantly eating junk food because they think it makes them happy but this only adds weight gain or inflammation in their body, then taking steps towards healthier eating would benefit both mental and physical wellbeing simultaneously over time.”

How to Practice Emotional Self-Care

The process of practicing self-care is all about being mindful of the way you are feeling, how you are acting, and what thoughts are going through your head. It means making sure that you pay attention to yourself as a person and not just as a parent or partner.

Start practicing emotional self-care start by creating a routine that includes both intentional relaxation (e.g., meditation) and non-negotiable “me time.” Steer clear of perfectionism, saying yes when you really want to say no, and comparing yourself to other moms on social media.

It’s important to note that there is no right way to practice emotional self-care. You need to do what works for you and makes sense for your situation. Here are 12 ways to practice emotional self-care.

1. Set Aside time Each Day for Yourself

Even if it’s only for five minutes at the beginning or end of each day, give yourself some space from responsibilities so that you can focus on taking care of yourself emotionally (and physically). This may mean reading a book before bed every night, writing in a journal after work, or taking a walk around the block when lunch break rolls around. Whatever helps you relax and decompress.

When you take the time for yourself your kids will become more aware of your needs as well. They’ll learn that it’s okay for their parents to have time away from them so they can recharge. Ultimately, this teaches them how important it is to give themselves the same love and attention they give others.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Practice mindfulness throughout the day by being aware of what emotions or physical sensations are present in any moment without judgment around them. Just observe these feelings without acting on them. For example, say “I am frustrated right now!” and remove yourself from the situation, instead of arguing with someone.

3. Let Go of Control

Letting go of control can be a challenging process. The first step is to identify the things you don’t need to be in control of, and then let them go. The second step is identifying the things that are not worth your attention or energy, and letting those go as well.

The third step is identifying the things that are out of your hands. Things like what other people think or say, and what the weather will be like tomorrow morning when it’s time to walk your dog. Now, let them go.

4. Let it all out

Trying to keep everything inside is a recipe for an emotional explosion, and if you’re feeling that pressure building up inside you, take some time to let it out. There are many ways of doing this like writing, taking a kickboxing class, or talking with someone.

Just don’t use alcohol or drugs as an outlet. They only mask the problem and make things worse in the long run.

5. Take a Vacation From Social Media

It’s no secret that you can spend too much time on Facebook and Instagram. So it’s important to take breaks from those site, and other social media platforms. This gives you a break and allows you to focus your attention on other areas of your life.

Try this: Go on a social media diet for seven days. During this time you’ll stick to just one platform (e.g., Twitter only). Or, choose one day of the week where you’ll cut out all forms of digital interaction. Except for work-related emails and phone calls with family members. We guarantee you’ll see a difference!

6. Learn to Say No

It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to say no to people you don’t like and it’s okay to say no to people who have been mean to you, or even people who have been nice.

You can also practice saying it out loud while looking at yourself in the mirror (why not?). This will help you get used to hearing yourself speak clearly and confidently when faced with such situations in the future. Don’t worry about hurting anyone’s feelings. If they’re offended by your refusal, then they probably have their own issues and should work on themselves before bothering others.

7. Put Your Phone Away at Least an Hour Before Bedtime

If you want to get a good night’s sleep, put your phone away at least an hour before bedtime. That means no checking emails or scrolling through social media. And don’t check it in the middle of the night either!

8. Unfollow People Who Make You feel Bad About Yourself Online

There are lots of things you can do to make yourself feel good, but here’s a simple one: block or unfollow the people on social media who make you feel bad about yourself. That doesn’t mean cutting off all contact with them; it means keeping them in your life and not letting their influence seep into every corner of your thought patterns.

It’s up to you how much time and energy should go into caring about other people’s opinions. If it makes you happy to read negative comments on your social media photos, then by all means do so! But if those comments are making you depressed, maybe consider taking a break from looking at them.

9. Beef Up Your Support Network

Emotional self-care is a journey. You can’t do it on your own and you shouldn’t try. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Seek out people who will listen, and offer support and encouragement. Make sure they know what your triggers are.

Find friends who are willing to treat these situations like an adventure rather than a crisis. Identify someone who will help keep things in perspective for you when life gets overwhelming or scary. Alternatively, you can find someone who has been through something similar before. That way, they know how best to navigate this territory together with you now whenever necessary down the road!

10. Do Something Creative, Just for You

Creative activities are also great for your mental health. They can help you relax and unwind, feel more confident and connected to others, and feel more connected to yourself.

11. Avoid Toxic People and Situations

Don’t surround yourself with toxic people. Toxic people are those who make you feel bad about yourself. They are always complaining or making excuses, and are always trying to get other people to do things for them. Avoid relationships with these types of individuals at all costs!

12. Learn the Art of Accepting Compliments

When someone gives you a compliment, take it in. Don’t brush it off, don’t deflect it, and don’t explain away your achievement. Remind yourself that you are worthy of praise. If you are more modest than your peers, practice accepting compliments better by saying “thank you” when someone pays you one.

Need More Support?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, there are many ways to find support. You can ask for help from friends and family. If that doesn’t work for you, there are also plenty of resources available online.

You can make a plan with your doctor or therapist. They will be able to help you figure out what kind of care and treatment would be best for you. Another option that can be just as helpful is a self-help course!

Here are reputable professional therapy services and aids that I highly recommend for your emotional self-care journey :

Online Therapy – It’s so much more than live sessions and messaging. It’s a complete happiness toolbox. Get matched with a qualified therapist within a minute.
Calmerry – Calmerry is a secure e-counseling platform that makes therapy accessible and affordable to anyone. They connect clients with fully-licensed, thoroughly vetted therapists who draw on evidence-based approaches.
MyWellbeing – MyWellbeing connects clients with the therapist right for them, ensuring that people of all backgrounds can get the mental health care they need.
TalkSpace – Talkspace offers affordable, confidential therapy with a professional licensed therapist, anytime and anyplace, through a mobile device or on the web.
I Am Enough – An award-winning personal development program created by globally-acclaimed therapist, Marisa Peer. Marisa developed her course after observing that the one singular limiting belief that stops people from attracting love, wealth, happiness, and success was the belief that they are not good enough.
Panic Away – Helping to End Panic Attacks and General Anxiety Attacks Naturally. In the past 10 years, The Panic Away Program has touched over 70,000+ lives in 32 countries worldwide. Everyone has used it from soccer moms to famous celebrities.

Final Thoughts on Emotional Self-Care

Being kind to yourself is also an important part of wellness. It might seem like it’s all about being hard on yourself when trying to improve your life and make positive changes, but in reality self-compassion is just as important as setting goals or taking action steps towards them!

If we lack this compassion for ourselves, then we may procrastinate more often than not because we feel like it would be too much pressure on us emotionally if we fail at something (and let’s face it: most of us probably have at least one thing that scares us).

The most important thing you can do is learn how to avoid burnout: when we’re giving so much of ourselves without taking time away from work or other responsibilities, our energy levels get depleted faster than usual and we become less effective at everything we do—including relationships with others.

What is Emotional Self-Care?

Here are some signs that show when emotional self-care is needed:

Why is Emotional Self-Care Important?