Let’s face it, running errands is not self-care.
As much as ticking off your mum to-do list feels good (one less thing, right?), a stressed-out schedule when you’re balancing a busy home is a recipe for burnout.
Because, while you’re playing catch up, your health is often the first to take a backseat.
So how do you catch up on those errands while still practicing optimum mum self-care?
We caught up with Pharmacist Mum spokesperson Bonnie Hui-Callahan, PharmD, CDCES, for her top tips on keeping up to date with your health while keeping your schedule on track.
In this article: 📝
- How do busy mums manage their time?
- What does self-care look like as a mum?
- How do you make time for self-care with a busy schedule
How do busy mums manage their time?
How indeed!
There’s never enough hours in the day, but what are some pitfalls of a busy lifestyle?
“As mums, we get so caught up in taking care of everyone else we often forget or neglect ourselves,” says Hui-Callahan. “But, it’s important to keep in mind that to take care of everyone else, we need to take care of ourselves.”
Pour through any self-help article on time management, and you’ll see staying healthy tops the list every time.
And while carving out a slice of me time or practicing breathwork at the traffic lights will certainly help you feel in control of your day, it’s ensuring your body is at peak health that’s going to carry you through.
You can’t pour from an empty glass, right?
But apparently, this is the biggest piece missing from the busy mum toolbox.
“In a recent survey of 1,000 mothers, 72% of mums admitted they don’t always keep up with their routine healthcare,” Hui-Callahan explains, “and that includes staying up to date on their vaccinations.”
So, before you can even think of how to better manage your time so you can keep up with the kids, catching up on your health is the biggest priority.
Now that’s self-care.
What does self-care look like as a mum?
So, we know staying healthy is top of the list, but what does practicing self-care look like for a busy mum?
It varies from mum to mum, but essentially, it’s honouring that being a mum is equal parts exciting and exhausting.
And, like any other full-time job, how you treat downtime matters.
Often, this looks like intentionally carving out alone time and filling it with grounding practices.
Because, at the end of the day, being present for your kids requires you to be physically, emotionally, and mentally available—a hard ask when your reserves are depleted.
And even harder when your body is run down or struggling with chronic illness.
Some helpful self-care tips to get you started include:
1. Asking for help
It’s too easy for mums to feel guilty about stepping back and taking a moment for themselves.
Mum guilt is real, but so is caregiver burnout—and both are equally harmful.
Whether you’re a first-time mum of a fresh-faced newborn or busy juggling toddlers and pre-teens, delegating your responsibilities is a must.
By taking small breaks from your babies (no matter their age), you can recharge, reset, and have much-needed space to gain a fresh perspective.
Every person’s circumstance is different, and if you haven’t found your village yet, the Peanut community is a step in the right direction.
2. Scheduling quiet time
Timeouts aren’t just for kids.
Scheduling dedicated quiet time for you on the calendar is peak self-care.
This means no phone, no Netflix, and absolutely no housework.
It may feel uncomfortable at first (that’s the mum guilt talking), but silence is golden for self-care.
Studies even show a healthy dose of quiet time can restore the nervous system and help sustain energy.
Practicing self-care not only benefits your health but also reminds you that you’re worth spending time on—because you are.
And this doesn’t always take the form of beauty treatments and journaling.
Taking care of you also looks like getting regular health checks and making sure you’re up to date on vaccines.
Which brings us to self-care tip number three:
3. Catch up on recommended vaccines
“Being up to date on vaccinations can make the difference between staying healthy and dealing with potentially life-threatening illness,” explains Hui-Callahan.
“The CDC recently updated its adult vaccination recommendation and now recommends that adults aged 19-59 years be vaccinated against hepatitis B.”
This is especially important for mums born before 1991—the year the hepatitis B vaccine became the standard of care for infants.
So yes, if you really want to keep up with your kids, ensuring you have the hep B vaccine is one meaningful way to do it!
Is the hep B vaccine necessary?
So, why is the hep B vaccine on our radar now?
Well, new infections are highest among people aged 30-59 years.
Statistics show that approximately 296 million people globally are living with hepatitis B—by no means a small number.
What makes this a pressing concern for the CDC is that Hepatitis B is an incurable liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus.
And once the virus attacks the liver, the resulting health complications can be lifelong or even deadly.
Prevention is essential, but as many as two-thirds of the estimated people living with hepatitis B are not aware they even have it.
Being vaccinated against hepatitis B can be an invaluable step to getting a jump on your physical health.
And the best part for busy mums?
It doesn’t require a lot of time to get caught up (more on this below).
How do you make time for self-care with a busy schedule
The best way to make time for self-care is to make it a natural part of your weekly schedule.
Be intentional about carving out space in your calendar for you.
By looking at it as essential maintenance for your physical and emotional well-being, you can let go of the guilt and advocate for that space.
The same goes for practicing self-care and getting your vaccinations up to date.
“You can visit your local pharmacist to get your adult vaccines, including hepatitis B,” says Hui-Callahan.
“Better yet, with HEPLISAV-B [Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant), Adjuvanted] you can get protected against hepatitis B with just 2 doses in 1 month.”
The greatest step you can take as a busy mum is to be proactive, not reactive.
With growing kids, there’s no telling what life will throw at you—all the more reason to prioritise your health and get one step ahead of vaccine-preventable diseases like hepatitis B.
With just 2 doses in 1 month, you can get caught up.
Find your local pharmacy today and get yourself booked in.
*The CDC also recommends hepatitis B vaccination for adults aged ≥60 years with risk factors. Adults aged ≥60 years without risk factors may receive hepatitis B vaccination.
INDICATION
HEPLISAV-B is indicated for the prevention of infection caused by the hepatitis B virus in adults 18 years of age and older.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
If you have a history of severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of any hepatitis B vaccine or to any ingredient of HEPLISAV-B, including yeast, do not take HEPLISAV-B.
HEPLISAV-B must be given by a medical professional, who will monitor you afterward to check for allergic reactions.
If you are immunocompromised or receiving immunosuppressant therapy, you may have less of an immune response to HEPLISAV-B.
Some people have hepatitis B infection without being aware of it or showing any symptoms. If you already have hepatitis B present in your body, HEPLISAV-B may not prevent hepatitis B infection.
The most common side effects reported by patients within 7 days of vaccination with HEPLISAV-B were pain at the site of injection (23%-39%), tiredness (11%-17%), and headache (8%-17%).
Please see Full Prescribing Information.
DYNAVAX and HEPLISAV-B are registered trademarks of Dynavax Technologies Corporation.
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