The role of a stay-at-home mom is both demanding and rewarding at once, but, as with anything done around the clock, it can feel all-consuming, with little room for personal mental stimulation. Caring for children’s needs and handling household responsibilities is constant, and the repetitive nature of these tasks can feel monotonous. Not to mention, there is the pressure to manage everything perfectly.
Time, space, and energy for yourself are hard to squeeze in, and even when you do find a moment, guilt can get in the way. But taking the “stay” in “stay-at-home” too seriously can come at your own expense and, by extension, affect those around you. During times like these, it’s important to remember that taking a little break to pursue adult social activities and conversations isn’t just okay—it’s essential for your welfare.
Here are five ways you can keep your brain stimulated as a stay-at-home mom:
Pick Up A New Hobby
With endless errands and chores filling up your schedule, the mere thought of adding something new to your weekly routine can be overwhelming. But it is precisely this busy lifestyle centered on household maintenance and maternal care that makes finding a hobby so important for stay-at-home moms.
Picking up a new hobby gives your brain the chance to grow without pressure or pretense. You have the freedom to set your own goals and progress at your own pace, and achieving those goals can give you that little satisfying kick of success. This small boost can be uplifting, helping you manage the stress and demands of caring for those around you with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
Learn About A New Subject
Involving your cognitive processes is also a great way to keep your brain active and engaged. This could range from learning a new language to taking up an online course. Whether it’s something simple or overly complicated for you, what matters is that you are interested in it. Having that genuine interest is what will set the stage to get your brain working again.
Staying at home with a child all day can feel mentally draining, largely because you are constantly in the role of the provider of guidance. By learning something new, you give yourself a break through absorbing information, analyzing patterns and problems, and thinking critically. You experience the excitement of being a student again, even if just for a while. This temporary change in role can give you a well-deserved mental recharge.
Launch A Side Hustle
For the business-savvy stay-at-home moms, maybe a business on the side is a more interesting brain stimulator for you. Much like the previous points, whatever product or service you choose to work on, it all boils down to what you are passionate about. Passion will go a long way in keeping you motivated and, in this case, your side hustle afloat.
Launching a business on the side is easier said than done. It asks for a whole new approach—an entrepreneurial one—because it happens in a different world from home—a business one. As such, it tests the brain with various experiences including but not limited to market research, marketing, and the development of your product or service itself. If these are challenges that you are up for, then what are you waiting for? Better get down to business soon!
Plan Activities For Others
Planning activities for others may sound less like a brain-stimulating activity for you because you are very familiar with it. As a stay-at-home mom, you always have to plan the entire week down to the smallest details, such as what’s for breakfast next, which errands need to be run, or even how to make learning for school entertaining. Little do you know, it is exactly because of this foresight that you’ve developed, albeit unknowingly, that makes you a perfect organizer of activities for others—and even events.
By organizing activities for people outside your family, you are giving your brain a workout by thinking of new ways to turn a challenging objective into something worthwhile. This process will test the solutions that you consider tried and true, keeping your mind sharp. Plus, there is an added reward in seeing other people’s faces light up, knowing they’ve succeeded through your thoughtful planning and creative approach.
Get Engaged With The Community
If you are well content with your current interests and skills, the community around those hobbies will be more than happy to welcome you. Interacting with diverse groups of people offers a break from the daily child talk, getting your mind all worked up! You can deepen and challenge what you already know about the subject, understand issues, and gain fresh insights that enrich your knowledge and experience.
Plus, you’d get to expand your social circle and perspectives, and who knows—you might even form lasting friendships to support you in more ways than you can imagine! Whether through volunteering, joining local groups, or participating in events, involving yourself in a community outside of your home is a great way to avoid feelings of stagnancy and isolation.
Being a stay-at-home mother means that your role as a mom is quite literally a full-time job, but that doesn’t mean goodbye to an engaged and active brain. For the record, motherhood is mentally challenging on its own! By adding a few activities that stimulate your brain daily, you can shake up the routine and keep things fresh. Hopefully, when you find the activities that suit you, they will get your brain buzzing and keep you energized. You got this, Mom!
