With the never-ending hectic work schedules, taking care of the family, house chores and attending to all the family needs, mothers have little or no time to themselves. Most mothers will agree that taking some downtime is a luxury that most cannot afford. And even when they do take out some time out for themselves most mothers feel guilty about spending time away from their children.
According to a study, mothers only have 17 minutes to themselves and spend a big chunk of their time taking care of everyone else and on chores. Another survey conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Essex found that full-time working mothers, who have two children had high levels of stress.
Most mothers suffer from ‘supermom syndrome’ and feel guilty for taking time out for themselves, but taking downtime for self-care is not only beneficial for you as a mom, but it is also useful for your family. While putting your family first is important, putting yourself on the priorities list is also important for the well-being of your family and their happiness.

Here are some tools that you can use for self-care.

Exercise
Exercising is a great way to relieve stress. You can start by taking a walk around your community or join a running club. Running has a number of benefits such as improved mental health, healthy heart, skin and weight loss. You can also start exercising at home. There are several great free fitness apps that you can download to get you started.
Connect with friends and family
Yes, your life is hectic and you have a long list of things to do, but you deserve a break and time connecting with a friend, might just be what you need to help you unwind and relax. Having something fun to look forward to will fuel you to prioritise and complete your tasks faster.
Meditation
Some of the most successful and influential people in the world use meditation to clear their minds and to help them distress. Meditation is a great way to help you relax, focus, clear your mind and distress. A study done by John Hopkins University even found that meditation can help with anxiety, depression and pain. And with meditation not requiring much, anyone can do it.
All you need is to ensure that you find a quiet space, sit still, close your eyes, breathe and let everything go. The great thing about meditation is that it is effective regardless of how many minutes you do it during the day.
Follow the ‘rule of three’
Always have three positive things that you can look forward to.  This can be anything from a relaxing bubble bath after a long day, school holidays or an upcoming road-trip.
Just remember self-care starts with making time for yourself. See each task crossed off the list as an accomplishment. And remember taking time out for yourself is not selfish and in order to be your best self, you need to take care of yourself first.
SPARK Schools urges mothers to practice self-care this Mother’s Day.