If you are a busy mom trying to figure out how to slow down and be mindful, you are in the right place. Being a mom is not easy, it is a full time job with no vacation days. Even when you are not a working mom, you will discover that you are always doing one thing or the other from morning till night.
There are days you will have many tasks in your to do list: school runs, meal preparation, work, laundry, and many others. As mothers, our thoughts and actions most times revolves around our kids. I could remember when I hardly think about myself, everything was about the kids.
I think about them when I’m in my work place, when I’m with them, I think about how to do chores. Even when I go out to buy things like cloth for myself, I will end up buying for the kids alone. I then realized that it is not easy to be a mom, it can be draining and overwhelming.
It is ok for you to feel overwhelmed but taking a moment to slow down and reconnect can help you regain your balance. And honestly, most times we just want to breathe and feel less rushed.
How can you slow down and be mindful as a busy mom? I promise you that it is possible, and I will share the best ways you can be able to achieve that just like I did.
Why Do We Need to Slow Down?
There are several reasons why slowing down is so important for moms, and I want to walk you through a few of them.
1. For your health (especially your mental health).
When we are always rushing without pausing, it can take a real toll on our minds. The mental load piles up, and sometimes, it shows in ways we do not intend, like snapping at our kids over the smallest things. I have been there myself.
There was a period in my life when I was constantly shouting at my children, and at some point, I even became depressed. It took the love and support of my family to help me through that phase. That experience is why I’m sharing this with you: rushing without slowing down can be dangerous, not just for you, but for everyone around you.
2. To stay alive and healthy for your kids.
No one can take care of your children quite like you do. But to do that, you have to take care of yourself too. Slowing down and being mindful allows you to focus on one thing at a time.
Chores will never truly end, and that is okay. Do what you can, when you have the strength, and give yourself permission to take breaks. You are not a machine, and you do not have to act like one.
3. To reconnect with yourself.
Remember the dreams and aspirations you had before motherhood. Do you want them to fade away? I know your answer is a resounding “no!”. One thing that has helped me tremendously is reminding myself who I was before I became a mom.
I make it a point of duty to call myself by my own name and honor that part of me. This small practice helps me slow down, be mindful, and stay connected to myself. You can try this, or come up with your own little ritual to remind yourself of the person you dreamed of being.
4. Slowing down helps you have compassion for yourself.
When you slow down, you give yourself the chance to see that you are actually doing the best you can. It becomes easier to silence that inner voice that says you are not doing enough or that you are being lazy. The truth is, most moms are doing far more than they give themselves credit for.
One thing that has helped me is reminding myself that I was someone’s daughter before I became someone’s mom. I am still a human being with feelings, limits, and needs. That simple mindset shift helps me strike a healthy balance. It reminds me that I deserve grace too.
Being kind to yourself, makes it easier for you to extend that kindness to your children and everyone around you. But if you are constantly hard on yourself, it often spills over into how you treat others.
Slowing down creates space for self-compassion, and you deserve that kindness just as much as anyone else.
Now that we have talked about why it is so important to slow down, let us explore the meaning of mindfulness and practical ways to slow down and bring mindfulness into your busy mom life, without feeling like you need to add more to your plate.
What Is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the state of being present and fully engaged in the moment. It is the act of paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment.
As a mom mindfulness is being able to recognize that you are overwhelmed without pushing your feelings aside. Being able to notice your children and how they are doing.
Practical Ways To Slow Down And Be Mindful As A Busy Mom
1. Begin Your Day with a Positive Affirmation
Mama, the way you start your morning matters more than you realize. Most days, you wake up already thinking about everything that needs to be done. The school runs, the meals, the mess, the responsibilities.
Before your feet even touch the floor, the pressure has already started. And sometimes, the first voice you hear won’t be kind, the voice might be telling you that you are behind, you are tired, or you are not doing enough.
This is why beginning your day with a positive affirmation can be so powerful.
An affirmation is simply speaking something good and true over yourself. It is a gentle reminder to your heart that you are doing your best, and that is enough.
Before I get out of bed, I usually take a deep breath and say something kind to myself. I say things like:
“I have the strength to handle today.”
“I am allowed to move at my own pace.”
“I am a good mom.”
“I will take today one step at a time.”
At first, it might feel small or even awkward. But as time goes on, these words will begin to soften the pressure you carry inside.
I remember there were mornings I felt overwhelmed before the day even started. But when I began reminding myself that I am doing my best, and my best is enough, it helped me slow down and breathe a little easier. It also helped me to stop fighting myself before the day even began.
Affirmations help you start your day from a place of calm instead of chaos, from grace instead of guilt. One of the beautiful things of starting your day with affirmations is that your children benefit from it too. When you start your day speaking kindly to yourself, it becomes easier to speak kindly to them.
So tomorrow morning, before the rush begins, pause for a moment and speak life over yourself. You deserve to hear something good too.
2. Make Space for Meditation (Even If It’s Just for a Minute)
Meditation is simply giving yourself a moment to pause and breathe.
It can be one minute before the kids wake up. When you are sitting on your bed after a long day, or you can even close your eyes in the bathroom for a few seconds just to reset. How long you did it doesn’t matter, just allow your mind and body to rest briefly.
There were days when everything felt like too much, and I noticed I was becoming easily irritated and overwhelmed. But when I started taking small moments to sit quietly and focus on my breathing, I felt a shift. Nothing around me had changed, the kids were still loud, the chores were still waiting, but I felt calmer inside. I felt more in control of myself.
Meditation helps you slow down your thoughts. It helps you release the tension you didn’t even realize you were carrying. It brings you back to the present moment instead of worrying about everything at once.
You can start simply. Close your eyes, breath in slowly, then slowly breathe out. Do it again and again. Let your shoulders relax, and let yourself just be for a moment, even if it’s only one minute, it counts.
This is necessary, because when you give yourself these small moments of calm. You show up differently, you respond with more patience, you feel more grounded, and you feel more like yourself again.
3. Declutter Your Space, And Declutter Your Mind
Have you ever noticed how heavy everything feels when your space is messy? The toys on the floor, the pile of laundry in the corner, the papers on the table, the dishes in the sink. Sometimes it is not even the mess itself that overwhelms you, it is what it represents. Another reminder of how much you still have to do.
I have learned that clutter doesn’t just fill our homes. It fills our minds too. When everything around you feels chaotic, it is hard to feel calm inside. Decluttering doesn’t mean you have to clean the entire house in one day. You don’t need to exhaust yourself trying to make everything perfect.
Take it one step at a time. There were days I would clear just one small space, and somehow, it made me feel like I could breathe again. It gave me a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted. Not because the whole house was perfect, but because I created a little space for peace.
Decluttering is also a reminder that you don’t have to hold on to everything, physically or emotionally. You can let go of what you don’t need. You can choose what truly matters.
And this includes your mental clutter too, the pressure, the guilt, and the unrealistic expectations. You don’t have to carry them all.
A calmer space won’t solve everything, but it can help you feel more settled, more in control, and more at ease in your own home. And sometimes, creating peace around you is the first step to creating peace within you.
4. Set Clear Priorities for Each Day
One of the biggest reasons we feel constantly rushed is because everything feels important at the same time. The laundry feels important, the dishes feel important, the messages you haven’t replied to feel important. The errands, the cleaning, the cooking, all of it feels urgent.
And when everything feels like a priority, you end up feeling pulled in every direction and accomplished in none.
Slowing down sometimes starts with deciding what truly matters for that day, and giving yourself permission to let the rest wait. Not everything has to be done today.
Some mornings, I ask myself a simple question: What are the three most important things I need to focus on today? Just three. Not twenty. Not everything. Just three.
It might be something as simple as:
- Preparing meals for the family
- Helping my child with homework
- Taking care of myself and getting some rest
And once those are done, anything else becomes a bonus, not a burden.
This mindset shift takes away so much pressure. It helps you move through your day with more clarity and less overwhelm. Instead of rushing through everything, you move with intention.
It also reminds you that your worth is not measured by how many tasks you complete in a day.
