Self-care is a word that’s used so often and in so many ways it often elicits an eye roll. Sadly, this ubiquitous use of the word has diluted a message that women, especially mothers, need to hear. Why? Because self-care is about making your own well-being a priority. And well-being is the the access point for everything you want in life: love, joy, energy, patience, generosity, connection, and success at home and at work.

Even Beyonce, a cultural icon and working mother famous for her grinding work ethic, recently admitted that she has had to learn to prioritize her own needs. In her candid interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she shared that "I know that to give the best of me, I have to take care of myself and listen to my body. My health, the way I feel when I wake up in the morning, my peace of mind, the number of times I smile, what I’m feeding my mind and my body — those are the things that I’ve been focusing on,” she explained.

To encourage mamas to begin the New Year with rest and a commitment to their well-being at the top of the list, we asked the leadership coaches and mothers behind LUMO to explain how committing to your own well-being will help you increase productivity, accomplish more goals, and most importantly, access the joy and satisfaction that should accompany your accomplishments. LUMO’s founders consider well-being such a foundational necessity for success at home and at work, they included well-being lessons in each module of their 3-part LUMO Expecting Moms program. Below LUMO's co-founder Anna Conathan explains how prioritizing rest will help you accomplish more and how to do it.

Whether you are working full-time outside the home or working full-time as a stay at home mom, we hope LUMO's advice and a little inspiration from Beyonce will help you put your needs on your list in 2022.

Working Harder Isn’t the Answer...

For many women a commitment to their own well-being lands squarely at the bottom of the to-do list, if it even makes it on the list at all. While some see self-care as an indulgence or a thing to dabble in in one’s “free time,” the founders of LUMO believe that a commitment to well-being is a foundational necessity when it comes to “Results,” with a capital “R.”

Without a solid baseline of well-being, achieving the results you desire becomes nearly impossible. Your foundational self-care must be solid or else you’re building a house on sand, and it won’t stand for long. Rock solid well-being gives you the gift of more space and energy for friends and loved ones, for the activities you most enjoy, as well as a greater bandwidth when challenges and breakdowns arise.

Well-being is an individual practice. It’s person-specific. Everyone takes care of themselves in different ways, and it’s important to remember that what works for someone else, might not work for you. 

To begin to identify what does work for you, ask yourself:

1. What does well-being mean to you?
2. What is the current state of your well-being?
3. Without any financial or time limitations, what would your ideal version of self-care be? (Dare to dream big!)
4. From your “blue sky” ideals above, what can you see as a possibility for additional self-care practices in the reality you’re living in right now?

And then begin tracking your well-being in these three categories: Body, Mind, and Connection. When all three of these areas are handled, you have more access to joy, power, and meaningful relationships.

Maybe even imagining a shift in possibility feels hard for you because the obstacles and “why not”s in your mind. Pay attention to your “why not”s -- they are messengers of your unmet needs.

Perhaps you’re unconsciously doing things that keep you from success. Are you staying up late? Overcommitting or getting distracted by social media and Netflix? Generating awareness helps you identify the stumbling blocks and create actions (ie. setting a bedtime and sticking to it, setting alarms for TV and social media use, learning to say “Let me check my calendar” before making commitments) to remove them.

Start prioritizing sleep by setting a night time routine. Create a regular schedule of bedtimes, rise times, and sleep rituals that allow time for winding down at night. Take note of what changes for you. Sleep deprivation not only leads to fatigue and irritability, it can impact your ability to focus and remember. And maybe you’ve noticed that it reduces your sex drive. (I bet your partner has!)

In addition to creating a nighttime routine, start a morning routine too. First thing in the morning, check in with yourself. Ask yourself, “How am I today? What do I need?” Here are a few of my early morning greatest hits: Jotting down five things I’m grateful for or excited about, stretching on my yoga mat with (gasp!) no instructor, five minutes in silent meditation, spooning the dog. Feel free to grab one of those if it’s supportive for you.

Well-being is a lifelong journey. It isn’t a “one and done” or a box to check. It’s a way of creating and recreating your relationship to yourself as your life evolves. If you become committed to integrating well-being into your life you will be well on your way to accomplishing your goals and celebrating your wins, and you’ll be high on your own supply when you discover that the real secret to foundational well-being comes from inside of you.

Rock solid well-being gives you the gift of more space and energy for friends and loved ones, for the activities you most enjoy, as well as a greater bandwidth when challenges and breakdowns arise.
- Anna Conathan, Co-founder LUMO

AUTHOR BIO

Anna Conathan is a writer, storyteller, public speaker, and credentialed life and leadership coach who works with writers and creatives looking to cultivate and share their authentic voice with the world. As the Chief Creative Officer of LUMO, a leadership and executive coaching company, she works passionately to empower women around motherhood and their careers and to give companies the tools they need to support and develop their parental talent.