Barriers to Self-Care for Moms and How to Overcome Them

Let me ask you these questions, what is it that you need to practice self-care? Have you identified barriers to Self-Care in your life? What are you doing to overcome them?

When you think about self-care, it’s frequently associated with self-indulgence, self-love, self-worth, or other self-related avenues. However, you can recognize self-care creates the channel to reach those other branches in caring for yourself.

No one can perfectly say they’ve mastered self-care along with motherhood. But, someone or somewhere in this journey we are on – a struggling mom is, of course, trying her best to maintain balance in her life.

I perceive other moms are thinking about these matters. We all struggle to pull ourselves from the trenches or burnout trying. 

You may be one of many moms who needs to look at self-care in-depth and what’s preventing you from practicing them.

If you are ready to know how to deal with these roadblocks to Self-Care, let’s go through them now. These barriers aren’t listed in any particular order.

Overcoming Barriers To do Self-Care

Lack of Motivation

This barrier is a big one for most moms. When you think about Self-Care, you may be thinking that it’s just another task to check off your list. As a result, you’ll keep procrastinating these crucial practices until you reach your breaking point.

God forbid you may end up in the hospital due to complete weariness — mental, physical, and emotional.

Find the reason why you are choosing to do Self-Care. Search for the activities you enjoy the most and start from there. Embrace consistency of the Self-Care practices you’ve chosen.

When you see the results of your actions, your motivation shoots high. As you feel more motivated, you’ll take on more daily self-care activities. 

Lack of Awareness of Needs for Self-Care

The lack of awareness is rooted in not reflecting on what you need as a person. Not just what you need as a mom or wife. 

This barrier is a different kind of roadblock to self-care. However, recognizing your self-care needs can be overcome through self-reflection.

Let yourself deeply determine and carefully understand your goals, needs, wants, and plan to achieve them.

When it comes to Self-Care, you can ask yourself about the four areas of Self-Care – Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional. What is the essential need you decided to tackle first?

Once you pinpoint these needs, then you can begin to formulate your self-care plan.

Read Post: Admit It: Moms Need Self-Care In This Hard Year

Setting Unrealistic Expectations as Barriers to Self-care

Expectations can get the best of us. Sure, exemptions are handed out. But, right, you have expectations and plotting them in your mind, and seeing it, in reality, may not automatically sync, materialize, or maybe far from it.

When moms set expectations up high, the downfall after realizing the inability to meet them may tear you down hard. So lower your expectations and be realistic.

Our society nowadays can be overly critical of moms and may also be downright harsh. So steer clear of the shaming and shun away from negative circles.

Begin on any attainable self-care methods, realistic goals, and celebrate the outcomes that make you proud of yourself. Although, be prepared that it’s not going to go as planned sometimes. But, your best effort will pay off no matter what.

The Guilt as a self-care roadblock

Who here hasn’t been on the Guilt train? This mental stressor is one of the massive barriers for moms in the world of self-care. 

Self-care is for you. However, you know when you indulge in self-care, you feel utterly wrong. Why is that? 

Possibly, you feel emotional and feel guilty when you leave your newborn with your spouse for a given time to care for your basic needs. 

The feeling of disdain when you’re going out to work out or take a walk by yourself. When you finally found someone to look after the kids and spend time with your spouse outside to dine. 

Buying something to improve your self-care practice can provoke a feeling of wasting resources instead of spending it on the family or the house.

There are plenty of reasons to pile up on why you think you shouldn’t be wasting your time in Self-care. But unfortunately, that guilt will eventually get you to stop practicing Self-Care at all.

Stand firm about your needs. Cater to yourself like you do others. You will feel recharged once you let go of this heavy emotion when caring for yourself. 

The guilt may inevitably show its head now and then. But, do remember that self-care isn’t a reward. It’s a necessity for your well-being.

Negative Thoughts about self-care

This ties with the above barrier. Why do you think you need Self-Care? Is it to boost yourself? Is it to improve your health? 

Your mind can be deceiving at times. However, you don’t need any vain endeavors to prop yourself up. Hence, the distressing thoughts – you need not be wasting any money on yourself, or you’re never going to be better than now.

When you think negatively of self-care, you stop yourself from fulfilling what you set on to do. Stop neglecting self-care because you are telling yourself you’re not deserving.

Take action on the negative self-talk. First, cut these negative thoughts filled with spiraling doubts and crippling guilt. Then, once you separate these clouds of mental stress, overcome them by setting up good coping skills. 

Self-affirmations can also help you in the road to kicking these negative thoughts to the curb. 

This practice of affirmations can help you establish your mindset to influence your thoughts and actions positively. It is a good stepping stone in overcoming barriers to your self-care habit.

Not enough time.

As moms, our time begins from waking up till we shut our eyes whenever that may be. Unfortunately, when we overload our responsibilities at home, we will never find the time. 

When we enroll our kids in extra after-school activities, that can fill up your time as well. I’m not saying you don’t even let the kids take classes that can help them out. 

However, you can prioritize which ones take the top list and readjust other activities for you to create time for downtime.

Schedule your Self-care in the calendar. Take advantage of any downtime such as early morning, late evenings, or any part of the day. 

By scheduling your Me-time, you are also solidifying accountability on your part. So stick to it and show up.

Putting yourself last is an obstacle to self-care

Setting priorities amid everything can make a mom’s life easier to navigate. 

Moms will always care for the family, even if they are struggling. When you’re running empty, you’re sabotaging yourself and your family. 

Your busy schedule isn’t going to go away. However, your health will dive, and it will not remain the same when you keep pushing through it.

Let 15 minutes of your time be about you daily. Let your kids/spouse know you’re taking a time out. You are setting boundaries that your time is sacred, and 15 minutes is just what you initially need. 

Also, you are setting an example to your daughter when she becomes a mother herself, that she’ll have to make time to care for herself. And then, your son will also learn that his wife will need the support to practice self-care for her wellbeing.

Healthy self-care can be beneficial for our children to see and internalize if we model it for them. In addition, it sets the example that caring for ourselves matters, as much as caring for others.

Self-Worth is dwindling

Don’t short yourself out of what makes you happy. Instead, seize the chance when you can to overcome this barrier to your Self-care practices.

Defining yourself and your worth doesn’t fall on being a mom; you most definitely are more than that. However, aligning yourself with what you truly desire in life and what you think can open that possibility is the way to go. So don’t let it pass you by. 

Affirm that – You are enough; never doubt that. Thus, taking the next step in loving yourself is also stretching your heart and strengthening your soul. 

Practice mindfulness in your daily life. You are intentional in your words toward yourself. Start seeing the good in you as a person; praise your strengths; turn away from self-sabotage.

Indeed, happiness comes from within you. No one or nothing makes you feel this core of contentment, like welcoming your worth.

Change is Difficult for You

Change is scary. Believe me. I was in over myself when I resisted it. Back then, I wasn’t helping myself be the best of myself. It was the opposite. So, I made a choice, and so can you.

Learn to open yourself to uncertainties. Take a chance to step into the unfamiliar, undiscovered aspect of your life. What you can discover beyond your life’s bounds may be the very thing that inspires you.

Walk out of your comfort zone; it’s frightening to hear it. Moms, conquer change like you did when you became a new mom. Embrace this transformation emerging from your self-care practice.

Stay positive of the change that’s happening or will happen. Start in small and manageable steps. Then, expand as you desire to.

YOU as one of the barriers to Self-care?

Now, let’s be honest. It’s all comes down to you. So choose yourself and take action.

This section is the part for me to encourage you to be an active participant in making a more favorable territory for yourself and your health. 

Wouldn’t it be good to do something just for yourself? Yes! Then, why not start today? 

Do I hear the answer; I just can’t at the moment? So why not say, let me take this moment, instead! 

Let’s do it this way. You see a person struggling, and you know, she can somehow do something about it. So wouldn’t you tell her to try? Wouldn’t you offer your genuine support?

Write to that person today, tell her what she can do to prioritize herself. Express encouragement that’ll help her get motivated and believe in herself. Write everything you think she can achieve when she’s willing to step out of bounds.

Next, seal that envelope and write your name on it. Try not to read it today. Sleep on it and then read it tomorrow, first thing in the morning.

Moreover, commit to yourself, be willing to show up, and show kindness towards yourself.

**This post is not a sponsored post. However, this post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the product links and purchase through the links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See the Full Disclosure Here. Thank you for your continued support!**

As Dr. Kristin Neff emphasized in her book, practice self-compassion, and also, at her website, you can do Self-Compassion Guided Practices and Exercises.

In Tackling the Barriers to Self-Care

Your willingness to overcome such barriers to self-care can be the key to taking the reigns of self-care. Of course, dealing with or overcoming these self-care obstacles could take a long time for some. But when you start today, you already changed something. You already went outside the linear path you’ve always been on.

If you are struggling to manage on your own, the resources out there are limitless. Don’t walk alone. Seek assistance from someone who can: your spouse, family member, close friend, coach, doctor, therapist, or religious mentor. 

Remember asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. Moms may hesitate to open up to someone for help when they are vulnerable. But know that you are the bravest when you do. 

I challenge you to start today on your Self-care quest. Don’t let these obstacles to practicing Self-care prevent you from building the good you are into becoming the best you can be.

Overcoming obstacles to self-care can be challenging. However, when you’re aware of the roadblocks to your self-care, fully understand them, and so it becomes easier to handle.

If you’re looking to start your Self-Care plan, grab this Step-by-step guide in creating one for yourself. Begin with a 7-Days Commitment to Self-Care for Moms, and you can go from there. Mama, it’s your Self-Care TIME now! 

Here are other resources to help you on Self-Care:

Have you thought of any obstacles to practicing self-care? How did you deal with them in your life? I’d like to hear your story in the comment section below.

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