25 Self Care Ideas for Dog Moms
Are you a super busy dog mom trying to balance it all? It is common for dog moms to feeling dissatisfied with their level of self care. Well, dog moms, you can let out a big sigh of relief because today’s blog post is filled with actionable steps to improve your self care! I will first answer some questions you may have about self care and then list 25 self care tips for dog moms!
What is self care?
You can think about self care as activities we do to nourish our physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual health. Self care is more than just taking a bubble bath; it is about prioritizing these activities in your life.
Why is self care important?
It is important to practice good self care on a daily basis. A daily self care routine can decrease stress which in turn improves our satisfaction with many areas of our life. Maintaining our self care on a daily basis is also important because it equips us to cope with stressful events that life throws at us.
Is self care selfish?
No. Self care is absolutely not selfish. If you are able to practice self care then it will have a positive impact on others around you. If you are less stressed others will notice this and it will increase the quality of your relationships. As they say, you can’t take good care of others until you take care of yourself first. It is so true.
What if I don’t have time for self care?
I understand, you are a busy dog mom! Well, you are in luck! You definitely do not need endless amounts of spare time to engage in self care. Start small. Perhaps try one suggestion from the list below each week. See what works for you. It may take a while to establish what self care activities work best for you and your dog mom life. I encourage you to practice self compassion. There is no need to beat yourself up emotionally if you feel that self care is lacking in your life. There is always room to grow and improve!
25 Self Care Ideas for Dog Moms
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Meditate.
If you’ve never tried meditation now is the time to try something new! Meditation doesn’t necessarily require subscribing to one particular religion or another. Also there are so many different types of meditation focusing on a variety of topics (anxiety, sleep, recovery, performance, health, happiness, and depression). Meditation has been shown time and again to have a positive impact on our mental and physical health. A fantastic free resource that I use daily is a free app called Insight Timer. They have exercises as brief as one minute! You can read more about the app here:
- https://insighttimer.com/
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Send an uplifting text to someone else.
Give them a compliment, thank them for something they have done, or give them words of encouragement. It makes us feel better to lift others up!
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Smile!
Research has shown that even if we don’t feel like smiling and we smile it makes us feel happier in that moment!
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Have a spa night.
Take a hot bubble bath. Light a candle. Use facial masks. It is amazing how rejuvenating it can be to pretend you are at a spa in your own home!
5. Add a plant or flowers to your space.
Adding some nature into your environment has been shown to have a calming effect.
6. Start a yoga practice.
A great free resource is youtube. Some channels I recommend are Yoga with Adriene or Yoga by Candace. As with starting any physical activity (especially if you have any physical limitations) please consult with your primary care doctor before starting any physical activity regimen. If you are new to yoga I would suggest searching for chair yoga, restorative, or gentle yoga sessions. You may also benefit from checking out an in person yoga class (after covid-19 gathering restrictions are lifted of course!) to learn the poses.
7. Declutter your space.
Pick one area of your home to declutter. I’ve found that when my space is freshly cleaned I feel much more relaxed!
8. Watch your favorite movie or show.
9. Go for a walk in nature.
Bring your doggo and the rest of the family along! Did you know Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese term that means “forest bathing?” There are so many beneficial effects to immersing ourselves among the trees! So awesome! Read more about it here:
10. Start a new hobby.
Choose a hobby that resonates with you and learn more about it. Be sure to schedule out time to engage in your new hobby. Some ideas of new hobbies may include writing, gardening, drawing, photography. I encourage you to suspend judgement; don’t make any evaluations whether you are good or bad at your new hobby. Read: this is a judgement free zone! Engage in your hobby for the activity’s sake, not necessarily the end result.
11. Connect with your pack.
Call or face time friends or family members you haven’t talked to lately. Perhaps schedule a time to meet up (after covid restrictions are lifted of course!).
12. Read or listen to an audio book.
It goes without saying that this is beneficial to your intellectual self care.
13. Pamper yourself with a DIY manicure.
Here is a resource that I’ve found helpful when doing my own nails:
14. Plan something to look forward to.
It can help to have something fun planned to look forward to. This can be a large trip or something as small as visiting a local establishment. Or course the scale of the trip or activity may not be possible given current covid-19 restrictions.
15. Stay Hydrated.
Yes, we’ve all heard this before but it is so important! It’s amazing how refreshed I feel when I drink enough water compared to days when I’ve slacked on my water intake!
16. Start a gratitude journal.
Practicing gratitude has been shown to have a positive impact on our emotional well being. You don’t need a fancy journal, just pick up an empty notebook and write three things you are grateful for each day!
17. Know your dog’s schedule.
If your doggo has been with you awhile, it’s likely that you have established a routine by now. However If your furry pal is a new pup on the block then you are likely well aware of the importance of establishing a routine. Having a daily routine that incorporates your doggo can help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. Below is a great resource for establishing a routine for your doggo!
18. Take advantage of nap times.
If you’ve been meaning to get a certain task done without interruptions then consider planning on completing it during your doggo’s nap times.
19. Work that brain!
Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise when it comes to your fur baby. As they say, a tired dog is a happy dog! Here is a great resource for examples of mentally stimulating activities for your dog.
20. Set up a doggy play date.
Get together with your fellow dog moms and go to a park or dog friendly establishment. Of course this becomes more of a practical option after covid-19 restrictions have been lifted.
21. Decrease the tension.
When your home environment is rife with tension it does not bode well for the well being of you or your doggo. Dogs can easily pick up on our distress or frustration. If there is a particular habit that your dog has (shoe chewers, I’m looking at you!) that causes stress or tension then consider whether it could be alleviated with the help of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist.
22. Conserve your energy.
Have you ever cared for a puppy or young dog? They definitely SLEEP hard and PLAY hard! It can be physically exhausting on dog moms(and dads)!. If you are feeling tired then take advantage of activities that get your dog running (and you sitting!) such as fetch.
23. Ask for help.
If you are feeling particularly overwhelmed then enlist the help of friends or a pet sitter to care for your dog if you have a time conflict/other obligation that needs your immediate attention.
24. Try a new activity with your doggo!
Engaging in new activities with your doggo can stimulate both of you mentally and further enhance your pawsome bond! Examples of a new activity might be attending a doga (dog yoga) class or taking an agility class.
25. Get a puppuccino at starbucks.
As any dog mom can attest it really boosts are happiness when we see our dog enjoying something with their whole being!
Let me know in the comment section below what self care activities you find helpful!
With Gratitude,
Abby
This is such a great list of self care ideas!!! Now if I could only get my dog to have a relaxing bath ????
Thanks for your feedback! Haha! Yes that would be great! Maybe your dog can read the post LOL.