10 Practical Self-Care Tips for Working Mums

By Marisa Sim.

Let's get real here. I'm not saying you shouldn't improve yourself or go after your goals. But to actually thrive as a working mum - not just survive - you need a consistent self-care routine that builds the physical, mental, and emotional resilience to sustain you for the long haul.

We live in a society that glorifies busyness. Being exhausted has somehow become a badge of honour. And while I absolutely believe in working hard to build your career or business, I refuse to accept that we should always be running on empty.

The statistics back this up. According to McKinsey & Company's Women in the Workplace report, burnout among women remains significantly higher than among men and working mothers are among the most at risk. Globally, the picture is even starker: women who are both caregivers and professionals consistently report higher rates of stress, anxiety, and exhaustion than their counterparts without caring responsibilities.

It is time to change the paradigm. Moving away from a work-till-you-drop culture and towards one where we can thrive professionally and personally isn't a luxury - it's a necessity.

I honestly believe the way forward is prioritising self-care before work. I know that sounds counterintuitive. But hear me out.

When you run yourself into the ground, everything suffers - your health, your mental wellbeing, your relationships, and ultimately your work. Burnout doesn't just mean a bad week; it can mean months away from the career or business you've worked so hard to build. Self-care isn't selfish. It's the foundation everything else stands on.

Here are my top 10 practical self-care tips for working mums.

1. Schedule It Like It Matters — Because It Does

We schedule everything: school pickups, dentist appointments, work calls, after-school clubs. But somehow, our own self-care gets left as a vague intention rather than a fixed commitment.

Change that today. Open your calendar right now and block out time for your self-care activities, whether that's a daily walk, a weekly bath, a monthly massage, or simply 20 minutes of quiet each morning. Treat these appointments as non-negotiable. Share them with your partner, your babysitter, your family - anyone who might otherwise fill that time with something else.

Try this: Set three recurring reminders in your calendar this week for self-care activities you've been meaning to do. Start small. Start now.

2. Start the Morning on Your Terms

The way you start your morning sets the tone for everything that follows. If you begin your day immediately reacting to everyone else's needs - kids, emails, notifications - you start from a place of depletion.

Try getting up 20–30 minutes before the rest of your household. Not to work. Not to check messages. But to fill your own cup first.

It doesn't have to be elaborate: a large glass of water, 10 minutes of stretching, 5 minutes of meditation, 10 minutes of journalling. That's it. Half an hour that's entirely yours before the day begins.

Try this: Set your alarm 25 minutes earlier tomorrow. Don't touch your phone until your morning routine is done. Notice how differently your day starts.

3. Get an Accountability Partner

Motivation is unreliable. Accountability is far more powerful.

If you struggle to stick to self-care habits on your own (and most people do) find someone who will check in with you. That might be a friend you text after your morning walk, a colleague you do lunchtime workouts with, or a health coach who keeps you on track.

Doing things with someone else makes you significantly more likely to follow through. It also makes self-care less isolating — which brings its own benefits.

Try this: Text one friend today and ask if they'd like to be self-care accountability partners. Even a daily check-in message can make a huge difference to consistency.

4. Go Outside Every Single Day

This one is non-negotiable. Whatever the weather, whatever the season - get outside.

Fresh air, natural light, and movement are among the most evidence-backed mood-boosters available to us. Even a 10-minute walk can lower cortisol (your primary stress hormone), improve focus, and shift your perspective on whatever felt insurmountable at your desk.

Being outdoors also gives your brain the space to think differently. Some of the best solutions to problems I've been stuck on have arrived on a walk, not at a screen.

As the saying goes: there's no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothes. Waterproof jacket on. Get out there.

Try this: Commit to a minimum 10-minute outdoor walk every day for the next two weeks. No podcasts, no phone calls — just fresh air and your thoughts.

5. Prioritise Time With Female Friends

As working mums, we can get so locked into work and family that our friendships quietly fall away. We tell ourselves we'll make time when things slow down, but things rarely slow down.

Female friendship is not a luxury. Research consistently shows that social connection is one of the strongest predictors of mental health and longevity. Having women in your corner who get it - who you can vent to, laugh with, and feel genuinely seen by - is irreplaceable.

You don't need long evenings out (though those are wonderful). A 45-minute coffee, a walk together, a voice note exchange, it all counts.

Try this: Message one friend this week and make a concrete plan - a date, a time, a place. Not "let's catch up soon." An actual plan.

6. Set Boundaries and Mean Them

Your time and energy are finite. Every yes to something that drains you is a no to something that sustains you.

Learning to say no to requests that overextend you at work, to commitments that eat into your recovery time, to the cultural pressure to be endlessly available, is one of the most powerful acts of self-care available to you.

This doesn't mean being unhelpful. It means being honest about your capacity, and protecting the reserves you need to show up well for the things that matter most.

Try this: Identify one thing in your week you've been saying yes to out of obligation rather than genuine willingness. Practice saying no to it or offering a smaller, more sustainable version of your help.

7. Eat Food That Actually Fuels You

When life gets busy, eating well is usually the first thing to go. Grabbing whatever is quickest becomes the norm and then we wonder why we're running on empty by 3pm.

What you eat directly affects your energy, your mood, your focus, and your resilience. This isn't about perfection or restrictive diets. It's about making sure that at least most of what you eat is genuinely nourishing rather than just convenient.

Batch cooking on weekends, keeping easy healthy snacks accessible, and front-loading nutrition earlier in the day are all small shifts with a significant impact.

Try this: Pick one meal this week to prep in advance so that at least one healthy option is ready when you're tired and pressed for time.

8. Build a Meditation Practice

Meditation has moved well beyond the realm of wellness trend. The research is extensive and clear: regular meditation reduces stress, improves emotional regulation, sharpens focus, and increases resilience. For working mums who are frequently in reactive mode, it's a game-changer.

You don't need to sit for an hour in silence. Start with five minutes. Apps like Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer make it easy to build the habit from scratch, even if you've tried before and found your mind too busy to settle (that's not doing it wrong, by the way - that's just what minds do).

The goal of meditation isn't to empty your mind. It's to notice your thoughts without being driven by them. That capacity to respond rather than react is invaluable in both parenting and work.

Try this: Download a meditation app and commit to just 5 minutes a day for the next week. Put it in your calendar (see tip 1).

9. Unplug From Technology After Hours

Being constantly connected is not the same as being productive or present. And for working mums, the blur between work and personal time is particularly damaging.

Set a technology boundary and protect it. This might look like no work emails after 7pm, phones off the dinner table, or a complete screen-free hour before bed. Whatever works for your life - the principle is the same: create time in your day that belongs to you and your family, not to a screen.

The quality of your rest, your sleep, and your relationships will improve noticeably.

Try this: Set one specific technology boundary this week and tell someone about it so you're held to it. Even one hour of unplugged time daily makes a measurable difference.

10. Move Your Body Every Day

Movement is not optional; it's essential. Not for weight loss or aesthetics, but for your mental health, your energy levels, your sleep quality, and your long-term physical resilience.

The good news is that it doesn't have to mean the gym. A brisk walk counts. A kitchen dance counts. Stretching in the morning counts. The goal is simply to move your body intentionally every single day, in a way that feels good rather than punishing.

If you work from home or have a desk job, this is especially important. Build movement into your routine rather than hoping you'll find time for it - because you won't.

Try this: Identify two fixed points in your day where you can add movement — even 10 minutes each. Morning stretch when you wake up, walk at lunch, yoga before bed. Build it in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is self-care so hard for working mums? Because we're conditioned to put everyone else first, and self-care is often the easiest thing to sacrifice when time is short. It also doesn't feel "urgent" the way a work deadline or a child's need does - until burnout forces the issue. The key is treating self-care as prevention rather than cure.

What counts as self-care for a working mum? Anything that genuinely restores you - physically, mentally, or emotionally. It doesn't have to be spa days and bubble baths (though those are lovely). Sleep, movement, nourishing food, time with friends, solitude, boundaries, fresh air - these are all self-care. Start with what's most depleted.

How do I find time for self-care with a full schedule? Stop looking for spare time - it doesn't exist. Instead, schedule self-care the same way you schedule everything else that matters. Protect those slots. Even 15–20 minutes of intentional self-care daily is transformative over time.

What's the difference between self-care and being selfish? Self-care is how you sustain your capacity to show up for others. Selfishness is taking from others for your own gain. Resting, nourishing yourself, and protecting your mental health doesn't diminish anyone else - it makes you more available, more patient, and more effective. This distinction matters.

What if my partner or family doesn't support my self-care time? Have the conversation explicitly. Explain why it matters - not as a luxury, but as a necessity for your health and your family's wellbeing. Make it concrete: "I need 30 minutes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for myself." Most partners, when they understand the why, will get on board. And if not, that's a boundary conversation worth having.

Can self-care really prevent burnout? Yes, consistent self-care is one of the most effective burnout prevention strategies available. Burnout happens when output consistently exceeds recovery. Self-care is the recovery side of that equation. It won't fix systemic issues at work, but it builds the resilience to navigate them without collapsing.

In Conclusion

Changing our mindset around busyness (and genuinely making time for our own needs) isn't just good for us. It makes us better mothers, better leaders, better colleagues, and better humans.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. And you deserve to be full.

Marisa is a certified holistic health coach and trained Neuro-Linguistic Programming coach. She helps overwhelmed mothers reset and prioritise their needs to thrive in motherhood and their professional life. You can read all about Marisa and her work here.