When we think about the idea of a mother, we often feel nurtured, protected, and grounded - much like a juicy hands-on massage. And whether you have a mum, a mother-figure, or are a mum yourself, it is undeniable that those motherly qualities are essential to our wellbeing.

But for any mothers out there, this often comes at a price. Whether you’re a mum-to-be compromising herself daily for her bum to keep healthy, a new mum who solely dedicates energy to the ever-evolving needs of her baby, or a more experienced mum who exhaust herself trying to meet everyone’s school and activities schedule, who takes care of you?

While all mothers pour their love and energy to fill the cup of the one they love, they often forget to look after themselves. Their schedule is filled with daily things to tick off, and it is likely that self-care is not on their list.

As Mother's day is fastly approaching, it is the perfect time to give some self-care back - whether it is to yourself or any mum out there.

As a Mum, Be Selfless By Putting Yourself First.

Modern mums are the vital heart a family needs for balance. They pour energy into their kids, their career, their household and their role as a wife to maintain that connection we all desperately need. And if we asked you, we bet that you've probably been praised for your abilities to do it all. But when it's' finally time to take a breather, the realisation that you have had zero time for yourself hits you hard. (1)

We get it. When everything and everyone demands your attention, taking time for yourself makes you feel guilty. As a super working mum who spends a lot of time at work, being with your family when you come home becomes the priority - no question asked.

But with the recent lockdown, work and home became one. You setted-up an office in the middle of the lounge - and the kid's occasional playground - officially blurring the lines between home school, home office, and home chores. That "every-is-under-tight-control" feeling you had pre-pandemic is gone, and the forced adaptation might have put a heavy toll on your wellbeing - even if you're not ready to admit it.

Looking after yourself - for 10 minutes or better yet an hour - has never been more valuable. The act of caring for yourself helps to foster mindfulness. Scientists have noted that mindfulness can support the brain to self-regulate in moments of stress, cope better with overwhelming emotions, and overall have a more positive mindset. (2)

Being selfless means giving your all, but how do you keep giving if your being is struggling to meet ends meet? Regular self-care can simply help you be more patient with the kids, more present with your partner, and more energised with it all.

So by empowering yourself with a new skincare regime, you can create more time and attention for the things that matter. Perhaps start by setting a 1-day-a-month routine to feel fresh and ready for any occasion - whether it’s to get a mani-pedi, your lash extensions infills, or your dead ends cut with a style and blowdry.

For this Mother's day, be a little selfish and pencil in some extra me-time. The beauty of Purely Polished is that We Bring The Salon To You in the comfort of your own home. You don’t even need to overthink about who will look after the kids or how you can find time to pop out to the shops. All you need to do is to book an appointment with your time specifications and date - and leave the rest to us!

Gift Mum the Essence of Time & Mindfulness.

If you’re looking for a mindful Mother’s day gift, skip the conventional flower or chocolate. Instead, take over her plans and pre-plan her Sunday plans to let her know that you’re thinking of her.

1. Start by planning the nitty-gritty of things. Things like, what the kids will do in the morning whilst mum is getting pampered. What to do for lunch. Where to drive. Locate the picnic blanket and basket - find a place to go to see the sunset… Plan the day ahead of time so you’re ready and prepared in case you need to go do a little grocery shopping or make a reservation.

2. Once you have the jist of your day plans thought out - pre-book an appointment for a Purely Polished Wellness Professional to come and pamper her. Whether it is an hour’s deep massage, a haircut blow and dry, a mani-pedi or even a facial treatment - surprise her - and let her relax and be pampered to start the morning.

3. Now, after mum is feeling all revitalised and rejuvenated, you decided to follow up her session with a beautiful home-cooked meal or lunch reservation. You’ve made the reservations. You’ve gone grocery shopping for the things you need. You located the picnic blanket and basket and have a lunch date out in the sun… you’re all prepped and ready to go!

The reality is that every mum has a jam-packed schedule, and allocating space for nurturing their wellbeing might feel impossible. With a natural tendency to put everything other than themselves first, mums often don't treat every area of their lives with equal priority. For any mum, sorting out our doctor's appointment will be more important than sorting out a massage for herself. Finding some me-time for her relationship will be more valuable than allocating me-time for herself and her hobbies.

Every mum deserves to be nurtured by the ones they love. And yes, that dress they've laid eyes on or the latest tech is nice, but well being is more valuable. Deep down, we all know that a mum needs that unconscious permission from her surroundings to take a breather. So when you gift her the time and pampering she desperately needs, you give her the chance to put herself first. (3)

You can spice things up by planning for a wife and husband massage, or organising for the mums in your life to pamper together. You can also treat your mother-in-law with a voucher for them to indulge, or book a mani-pedi session for mum and kids to experience together - there’s nothing quite like lounging around the house in colourful facemasks with smoothies in hand! The possibilities are endless, and the benefit for a mum so worth it.

Resource:

1. https://www.verywellfamily.com/self-care-for-new-moms-4783220

2. https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-brain-research-neuroscience/

3. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/isnt-what-i-expected/201102/guilt-motherhood-and-the-pursuit-perfection