As Mother’s Day approaches, it’s time to consider ways to incorporate self-care into mum’s routines.
To the mums in a heterosexual relationship: have you ever found yourself wondering exactly how much time as a mum you get to dedicate to self-care, compared to that of your male counterpart?
Well, it appears there’s quite a notable difference, and the numbers – much like a lot of stains on kid’s clothes – don’t quite wash out in mum’s favour.
A survey across Victoria and NSW has confirmed that dads are spending much more time on self-care than mums – particularly in the 31–40-year-old age group, which is of course the most common age for us to be wrangling kids under 12.
With self-care defined as the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own mental or physical health including exercising, meditating, cold or hot bathing, leisure activity or relaxing – the discrepancy, it seems, is vast. So let’s take a deep dive into the results from a survey undertaken by Belgravia Leisure. We are Australia’s leading aquatic, leisure, tourism and wellness management specialist.
The survey of over 1,000 participants has revealed that half of the women surveyed (50.9%) in the 31-40 year old age group have reported that they don’t spend enough time on self-care, with kids being the overwhelming reason behind this (54%) followed by time (29%).
In fact, a whopping 38% of mums reported spending just 30 minutes a week on self-care, with as little as 9% spending 3-4 hours a week on this important act of self-preservation.
In stark contrast, 38% of dads in the same age group reported spending 1-2 hours a week on self-care, which is double that of mums, with another 25% spending 3-4 hours a week and the next 25% spending a considerable amount of time (5+ hours a week) on self-care.
And whilst we are not here by any means to shame dads, whereby it is good news that many of them that are getting enough time for self-care, it’s important that mums are also able to carve out this time for themselves for the sake of both their physical and mental well-being, and that of the whole family.
Victoria Goodwin Barlow, Belgravia Leisure Group Health and Wellbeing Manager says that the minimum recommended amount of time anyone – no matter their gender or circumstance – should be spending on self-care is 30 minutes a day (not a week!), five times a week.
“I think as mums we sometimes need to get more creative with regards to how we invest in that self-care time for ourselves”, Victoria said.
“Self-care comes in many shapes and forms and can be achieved either alone or with others. As a mum myself, here are some ways that I have managed to carve out time for that all-important self-care”.
- Often when mums don’t have the chance to take time to be alone, getting active with the kids is a great way to exercise (which is considered self-care) and bond with them at the same time. Whether it be jumping in the pool with the kids after their swimming lessons for a play, warming up with them or running laps while they are out there on the field playing sport or doing some stretches while parenting down at the skate park, it all helps.
- Embrace micro-moments of self-care throughout your day to get more active, more often. Whether it’s taking the stairs instead of the lift, doing a quick stretch break, or preparing nutritious snacks in advance, these small actions contribute to your overall health, happiness and self-care.
- Prioritise activities that nourish your mental well-being amidst the busyness of being a mum. Delegate tasks to lighten your load, practice mindfulness or meditation to cultivate inner peace, and schedule time for activities that are relaxing. Remember, taking care of your mental health is essential for maintaining resilience and self-care.
- While it may seem challenging to maintain social connections as a busy mum, prioritise quality over quantity. Schedule regular catch-ups with friends or family members, even if they’re brief coffee dates or virtual chats. These connections are all part of self-care.
- If at all possible, we as mothers should try to commit to one session a week purely for oneself – in whatever shape or form that takes, even if it’s going for a walk on our lunch break, hitting a gym with a creche or maternity reformer class available or taking the time to get our nails done.
“As mums, we also need to keep reminding ourselves that as our kids grow, the opportunities for self-care will change and develop, so whilst we might feel stuck in a rut right now, it won’t always be the case. We also need to be kind to ourselves – it’s ok if this week was hard and there wasn’t a lot of time for self-care – it’s about getting back on the horse the week after and trying again, as the benefits to the individual and the whole family are immense.”
Belgravia Leisure is a leading health and fitness provider, offering gym facilities, group fitness, PT sessions and programs and across Australia and New Zealand to achieve improved health outcomes for communities. Find a venue near you!
So instead of socks and soap this Mother’s Day, the team at Belgravia Leisure wish mothers all around the country the gift of self-care.
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