Between having to balance career and personal life, finding time for self-care can be challenging. Since becoming a parent, I have found this to be even more challenging. Every moment of the day – and I really mean almost every hour – is filled with some sort of task that needs to be completed or a running to-do list that has yet to be tackled. To be honest, self-care feels like a luxury more than anything these days!

In reflecting on my first year as a parent abroad and how I can avoid burn out, one of my goals is to make time for myself. To find ways to reconnect to hobbies and activities I enjoy – even if it’s just for one hour a day. Because if there is anything I have learned in my experience of parenting abroad so far is that, I can be a healthier and happier parent to my child when I carve out time for myself.

Yes, this all sounds lovely in theory and I can probably speak for every parent living abroad when I say that, we all wish we had an hour or two for ourselves each day. Even when you are conscious that this is important, it is not always easy to implement. But then do we just give up on the notion that we can carve out some “me-time” every so often? I would like to think not!

So how can we put this into practice in our everyday life? For me, the meaning of consistent “me-time” and self-care has become less about spa sessions and weekend getaways (though, I would not mind having time for this as well) and more about, short and consistent activities that I can easily apply to my day-to day and are good for both my physical and mental health. Here is what I have been practicing to tackle burn out as a a new expat mom living in Germany:

Make Time for Learning

I consider myself a student by nature so making time to learn something new has helped me stay connected to other parts of myself I enjoy outside of parenting. As I find ways to navigate a career shift and return back to work, carving at least 30 minutes to one hour a day for learning has helped me prepare for this big transition. Plus, it is a nice way to develop new skills that you can either bring back to work or just enjoy for fun! Learning a new skill, taking an online course in an area I have always been interested in or simply turning to “YouTube University” to take a deeper dive into topics I enjoy are my favorite ways to learn. Learning something new is not only a nice distraction from the stress that comes with being a new parent but also, it helps me feel engaged and connected.

Go to Bed Early (or at least not too late!)

This is something I still struggle with but see how impactful it is. There is a lot of research out there about the benefits of a proper good night’s sleep for your health. I really began to understand this after becoming a parent. Where sleep deprivation is almost unavoidable and expected. I now really cherish the nights where I get at least 7 hours of sleep, which allows me to be more present in my daily activities the following day. Again, another thing that is hard to practice and oftentimes out of our control, but prioritizing sleep as a new parent has made a positive impact and helps me get through the very busy days.

Stay Active!

Whether it is a quick workout, yoga stretch, or walk around the park, making time for physical activity has been crucial for my overall well-being. It did however, take me almost one year post-partum to get back into some sort of workout routine – and thats ok! Healing post-labor was no walk in the park (literally) and to finally have the energy and strength to workout and start moving my body has felt freeing. Plus, making a habit of moving everyday has helped keep my energy levels up, specially while having to chase my Toddler around the house all day!

As new parents living very busy lives while adapting to new schedules and routines, it is easy to forget to carve time for our personal needs. In thinking about the activities I enjoy and try to make time for, I have found it helpful to block short-time intervals throughout the day to do these. So rather than planning for a one-hour gym session where it requires me to travel and more planning, it is easier for me to dedicate 30 minutes in the morning before my family is awake to do a quick yoga stretch. These 30-minute time blocks are also more manageable and realistic. In turn, I am able to stay consistent with my daily self-care habits.

I challenge you today to reflect on what activities bring you joy and come up with a plan to make these daily (or even weekly) habits. Find what works for you as long as you can make time for self-care. Parenting abroad is already hard enough and can be an emotionally tasking journey. So while you look after your family, do not forget to also look after yourself.

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