Many mothers can attest to the fact that having children can make taking care of yourself a bit more challenging. The demands of a helpless human being can start to take priority over everything from morning coffee to consistent showers, if we’re not careful.
You have to be even more intentional about taking time for yourself. And one mother of seven — yes, seven — is here to remind us that it can be done.
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The mom of seven was often tired and overwhelmed.
Emma Lewis, a mother of seven from Northern Ireland, once lived like so many other women raising young children: She was tired and overwhelmed by all of her daily tasks.
“I used to think I had too much on my plate for working out but it was actually because I wasn’t prioritizing myself as well as my kids,” Lewis told South West News Service, per the New York Post. She made a change in 2021 by making time to add physical activity in the midst of her chores.
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Lewis started working out in between her daily chores.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s total rubbish if you think you don’t have time to do a quick 10-minute workout,” Lewis said. “If you can sit on your phone for 30 minutes, you can exercise.”
Ouch. Well, that’s some tough love for you. Lewis shared that her strategy includes doing squats while she prepares meals for her family.
Lewis said one day she looked in the mirror and didn't recognize herself.
Really, the lifestyle change was a return to the person she already was. Lewis said before her children she would exercise every morning before work and would never leave the house without a full face of makeup.
Two years ago, she looked in the mirror one day and didn’t recognize the person she saw.
“When I worked in HR I was always dressed professionally with pencil skirts and blouses and never without my hair and make-up done,” Lewis said. “But when you’re navigating parenthood, it can all slip away. I was feeling exhausted, lethargic and unmotivated all the time because I was burning the candle at both ends and not having routines for myself.”
Once Lewis started working out, she noticed an immediate improvement. She felt energized and invigorated. In addition to her squats, Lewis mixes in Pilates and weights, which she often sneaks into the bathroom.
When asked how she does it all, Lewis says she just 'finds the time.'
Although her self-care journey started with physical activity, it's expanded. “I even took up old pastimes like reading a chapter of [a] book a day and getting into making quick but nutritious meals."
Today, Lewis says she's in the best shape of her life and that the time she’s taking for herself is setting a good example for both her children and other moms who follow Lewis’ Instagram page @sevenlittlelewiskids.
“Every parent is different but we all have things that are important to us,” the mom shared. “When people message me asking how I do it all, I just say that I find the time.”
