The Ultimate Self-Care: Why Every Mom Deserves a Guilt-Free Sleep-In Day

When’s the last time you woke up like this?

Like...

-no alarm

-no tiny hands pushing and pulling at you

-no little voices asking for Cheerios

-no rules

-no timetable

-NO GUILT?!

We talk “self-care” up and down, but too often we skip over the obvious in favor of the fantastical. I’m super guilty of this – I think I need to reach for the lofty, when I should just be grabbing at something I can reach from where I am, ya know?

Doooon’t get me wrong, a weekend away with the ladies or a full day at the spa is ahhhmazing! But the kind of self-care that will renew our hearts, minds and spirts, so we can continue to show up at the best versions of ourselves—THAT kind of self-care—it doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just needs to be refreshing.

Time to plan: Mom’s Sleep-in Day
(no kids, hubbies or pets allowed!)

Here’s how this work:

You’ve got to set it up in advance. None of that hitting the snooze and "arranging" on the fly crap. Make sure everyone’s on the same page before your head hits the pillow on the designated night.

Then, hubby gets up with the kids and you wake up to no alarm. Door shut, protected time. Nothing beeping at you, and no one pawing at you. No one is allowed to disturb you. Just deep, restful sleep until your body says you’re done.

Serrrriously, you can wake up as a brand new woman on these days! Here's an idea of when to schedule this: if you're feeling all the overwhelm and/or starting to think pursuing lofty goals is for the birds. That's how you know it’s time to schedule a sleep-in day. I know it might not seem like much, but just take my word for it, k?

Single mamas, this isn’t as easy for you, and girl, you have my deepest respect. I know this is a bigger commitment for you, but still possible, and probably even MORE needed.

Ask grandma, grandpa, your sister, or your bestie if the kids can spend one night with them. But here’s the self-care part: plan nothing. Send the kids out for ONE night, and serve no one and be productive on nothing. No dishes, projects or household crap, unless that’s what relaxes and refreshes you (🤨). As Career Moms we hate asking for sitters because we’re already going so much as it is. We only want to ask when it’s "really important,” and taking care of our mental health doesn’t qualify. 🤔 

I get it, I really do. But to show up as your best self, to build the life you dream of instead of the one you stumble into, to truly GO ALL IN, you have to designate some time to stop getting things done and truly rest. You have to start prioritizing some downtime for YOU. Period.  

But don’t miss the good news here: this is not nearly as hard as we’re making out to be! You don’t need a week-long vacation to refresh your mind and heart in ways that will let you show up as a better mom or a better career woman.

Woman! Get some sleep!