🧘‍♀️ Mindful Things I Do to Be a (Slightly) Better Mom

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Some mornings I wake up determined to be the kind of mom who has everything together. You know the IG version of motherhood where the house is tidy, everyone is dressed on time, and dinner is already planned by 9 a.m.?

And then real life happens, becomes alas - I am a real person. Someone spills cereal. Someone can’t find their shoes. Someone asks for a snack five minutes after breakfast.

Over time I’ve realized something important: I don’t need to become a perfect mom to feel better about my days. But there are a few mindful things I try to do regularly that help me be a slightly better, calmer, more functional mom. Because slightly is definitely better than nothing.

1) I Set One Small Daily Goal (And Say It Out Loud)

Instead of creating a giant to-do list every morning, I pick one thing I want done by the end of the day. Just one. And, this is the key: I actually say it out loud in the morning.

It's nothing crazy, but something realistic like “By the end of the day, the kitchen counter will be clean.”

Other times it's:

• "Today, I'm doing two loads of laundry"
• "By 6pm, I'm going to clean out the junk drawer"
• "By bedtime, I'm going to email our insurance agent!"

It sounds a little silly, but speaking it into existence helps me stay focused on one achievable win instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything else.

2) I Write 7 Goals for the Week (Not the Day)

Following through on my goals - I used to write my goals every day. But I realized that daily to-do lists stress me out because if I didn’t finish everything, I felt like I failed. So instead, I started writing seven goals for the entire week.

They can be things like:

• schedule an appointment
• clean out the fridge
• finish a blog post
• go to the grocery store

Seven goals for seven days means if I finish four or five of them? That’s over 50%. Which in my book basically counts as a productive week 😅

To keep everything visible, I like using a magnetic to-do planner where I can see what I need to do, and physically check it off when I'm done.

3) I Pre-Schedule Workout Classes So I Actually Go

I love to work out, and I find that when I work out I'm a much happier human being slash mom. The problem is, if exercise is optional, I will absolutely skip it.

But if it’s already scheduled and someone expects me there? I’m much more likely to show up.

That’s why I try to pre-book group workout classes whenever possible.

Knowing there’s a class on the calendar adds accountability, which makes it easier to follow through — even on the days when motivation is low. It’s one of the small ways I try to take care of myself so I have more energy and patience for everything else. Cross reference this with Tip #2 - Sometimes, one of my weekly goals is "make it to two classes." Andddd check.

4) I Have an Emotional Support Water Bottle (Because Moms = Constantly Dehydrated)

This sounds basic, but it's true: when I’m running around taking care of everyone else, I often forget to do basic things like drink water. And when I’m dehydrated, everything feels harder. I also tend to get dehydration headaches.

My current emotional support water bottle of choice is the Hydro Flask 40 oz. and I'm contemplating getting the 64 oz. Keeping this bottle constantly nearby helps me stay hydrated throughout the day without thinking about it.

It’s a small thing that actually improves my energy and mood, and great for your skin barriers too.

Sometimes, I'll feel a bit like a party, and flavor it with some electrolyte water enhancers. Stur is my absolute favorite!

5) I Use a Simmer Pot to Reset My Mood

Some days the house just feels… chaotic. Maybe the kitchen is messy, the kids are loud, and everything feels a little overstimulating. One small thing that helps me reset the mood of the house is starting a simple simmer pot on the stove.

It’s basically a small pot of water with things like:

• lemon slices
• cinnamon sticks
• orange peels
• vanilla

As it gently simmers, it makes the whole house smell calm and cozy.

It sounds small, but scent can actually shift the atmosphere of a room surprisingly quickly. Sometimes when the house feels hectic, starting a simmer pot is my little signal that we’re slowing things down.

6) I Give Myself a Time-Out

Kids aren’t the only ones who get overwhelmed. Some days motherhood is loud, chaotic, and nonstop. And when I feel my patience getting thin, I’ve learned something important:

It’s better to step away for a minute than to power through while frustrated.

So sometimes I give myself a time-out.

That might look like:

• stepping into another room for two minutes
• taking a few deep breaths
• drinking a glass of water
• sitting quietly for a moment before responding

It’s not about ignoring the situation. It’s about resetting so I can respond calmly instead of reacting out of stress.

I don't look at my phone, because although doom-scrolling sounds fun, it's just more stimulation you're adding to an already stimulated brain.

I've shared this before but I like to use an analog timer, and I find that watching it can be oddly meditative too.

Mindfulness Doesn’t Require Perfection

None of these habits are complicated, and I definitely don’t do them perfectly every day. But they help me feel a little more organized, a little calmer, and a little more present. I haven't been a mom for too long, but I've realized that a lot of my daily parenting is about finding small systems that help me get through the day with a little more patience and a little less stress.

Let's keep at it, friends. You've got this.