National Self-care Week is running from 18 November, with a focus on mind and body.  So here at Gingerbread we’ve brought together some top self-care tips for busy single parents.

What is self-care, and why is it so important?

As single parents, we all know that we need to get up and ‘keep the show on the road’ every day, no matter what. But at times this responsibility can feel overwhelming. So practising self-care, in whatever way we can, ensures that we’re not always running on empty. It’s a powerful way of taking control and putting a little energy back in your tank.

Self-care is not an indulgence. Looking after yourself is vital if we want to function at our best.

Gingerbread Wellbeing Officer Lynne explains why self-care for single parents is so important:

‘Even the smallest acts of self-care can be what we call a ‘resilient move’. It’s a way of taking action for yourself, so you can boost your capacity to deal with the stress of day-to-day life. And resilience doesn’t mean just gritting your teeth and bearing it. It’s more about giving yourself enough protective factors so that you can cope with and adjust to what life throws at you.

When we’re busy, it’s often self-care which gets pushed to one side or squeezed out of the week completely. It can feel like a luxury – but actually it’s essential. It’s like the plane cabin crew say during the pre-flight safety announcement: you need to put your own oxygen mask on before you can help anybody else.

How to make time for self-care

It’s important to be realistic when thinking about self-care – especially if you have limited free time.   You don’t need to turn your home into a spa or lavish yourself with hours of pampering. It’s more about making small moments count. And over time, these small moments can add up to increase your resilience.

Gingerbread runs a free wellbeing programme, throughout the year where you can connect with other single parents. Our workshops take place over Zoom, and they’re packed with useful tips around supporting your wellbeing. One of the topics we cover is self-care, and how to reframe this so it can suit your needs.

Top 10 self-care tips

These are some of our favourite examples of self-care in a moment. You can probably think of others!

1. Take the time to have a cuppa and really enjoy it. Drink it whilst it’s hot, and don’t be tempted to multitask.
2. Take 30 seconds after doing the washing up to rub a nice-smelling hand cream into your hands.
3. Get up early. You could use this time to open a window and really take in your environment. Listen to the birds singing or watch the colours of the dawn.
4. Do 10 minutes of online yoga before the kids are up.
5. Take advantage of when the kids are in bed in the evening to have a relaxing bath.
6. Do a simple mindfulness technique (like the full body scan we try in the wellbeing programme.)
7. Turn on your favourite music and have a kitchen disco whilst you cook dinner.
8. Do something creative.
9. Read a book.
10. Go for a walk.

What does self-care mean for you?

A participant on our wellbeing programme shared that doing the weekly shop was their ‘me time’.  So it doesn’t have to be about relaxation or pampering. You just need to find what works for you!

So ask yourself: what do you enjoy doing, that you’d describe as self-care? And where are the gaps or spaces where you could fit self-care into your day or week? If, like so many of us, your schedule feels too packed for self-care, what can you move around to free up some time for yourself? You only need a few minutes.

Self-care doesn’t have to take a huge amount of time. Perhaps you could set yourself a timer, so you can fully devote yourself to doing something in a timeframe that works for you.

Self-care is your opportunity to devote small moments throughout the day or week, to do something for you.