How to Know When You’re Due for Self-care

Knowing exactly when you’re due for self-care can be tricky. This is partly because there’s hardly ever a sharp transition from full to low battery. You slowly work yourself into exhaustion and it’s usually too late before you realise. 

Practising self-love at this point does not come naturally to most of us. You might not even realise that you’re at a low point and need to take a break. Instead, you feel overwhelmed and stressed out. Every little thing starts to get to you. All your problems begin to resurrect from the pit of hell that you promised to have buried them. 

And all you see is how exhausting motherhood is, how nobody appreciates your hard work and how your kids seem to have it out for you. 

At this point, you’re malfunctioning, and nobody benefits from that. 

All these could be avoided if only you can recognise at which point you’re already due for some self-care.

 Don’t know how to get started with self-care? I wrote a comprehensive post about it here.

How to Tell That You Need Self-care

To tell that you need self-care, you should consciously look for these signs, learn to recognise them, and take action. 

You need self-care immediately when:

1. You’ve crossed a few tasks off your to-do list

After you’ve crossed a few tasks off your planned chores for the day, there’s a high chance that you’re getting exhausted. Take a few minutes off to rest or do something for yourself as a treat. 

2. When you feel tired 

Tiredness may come from physical or mental exhaustion. Either way, it’s a sign that you need a break and get some love. Taking a break isn’t always practical, but you can choose the next best self-care activity accessible to you. 

3. When you feel overwhelmed 

You sometimes have to deal with overwhelm, where you feel burdened with too many responsibilities, expectations, and tasks, and you’re hardly getting by. You know you’re in urgent need of self-care when you’re getting consumed by this feeling. 

4. When you start comparing yourself to others

At any point in your motherhood journey when you compare your life or journey with someone else’s, and you feel dissatisfied with yourself, it’s time to get some self-care. 

5. You’re about to binge on food

This is clear evidence of dopamine deficiency, and food, especially sugar makes your brain release dopamine, the feel-good hormone. So, when you feel like you’re craving an unhealthy amount of sweet stuff, take it as a sign that you need self-care 

6. When you feel unappreciated 

Being a mom, you have to do a lot for your kids and your family, and most of it is not seen or noticed. When it starts to bother you that nobody sees you, and nobody appreciates you, take that time to show up for yourself, treat yourself to whatever you’d love to be treated to, and cherish yourself for your efforts. 

7. When you feel grumpy 

If at any instance, you choose to lash out at your kids, or partner, instead of trying to reason with them or be empathetic, you need to check yourself. It’s time to give yourself some self-care and get back to the ground state. 

8. When you start to act mean 

When you feel jealous of others, criticise, slander, backbite, or give unsolicited advice, you’re not in the right mind yourself. This is a good time to take a step back and pamper the bitterness out of you. 

9. When you feel achy and sore

Doing the same thing every day, there’s bound to be some wear and tear in your body system. When you feel sore or sustain a physical injury, it’s time to take a break and heal. 

10. When you feel like getting some self-care

No questions asked. You’re due for self-care whenever you feel like getting some. This rarely happens without other signs preceding, so trust me, when you feel like it, you’re truly in need.

Once you start treating your self-care like a priority, you’ll realise how much better your days will go and how much more positive your outlook on motherhood will be. Don’t have any ideas for self-care? check this post