Once you become a mom, just about everything gets harder. You are no longer your first priority every day. People’s lives literally depend on you. It’s a lot of pressure and a lot of work. And eventually, you get burned out and you lose motivation. Every single mom on the planet has gone through a phase of mom burnout, it doesn’t make them a bad mom, it makes them human. And while there’s no stopping the overwhelm sometimes, there are a few things you can do to keep up that mom motivation. 

Whether you’re looking for motivation to exercise, eat right, clean the house, have a good attitude, or even just get out of bed in the mornings, it all applies. These tips and tricks will help you get out of that rut, and keep you from slipping back in. 

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11 Real Ways to Find Some Mom Motivation and Get Back to Enjoying Motherhood 

1. Prioritizing Is Key

Trying to do it all is unrealistic and unhealthy. You are setting yourself up for failure, and failure is VERY unmotivating. Take all of the things you need to get done, write them out, and scale them from 1 to 5 on level of importance. If it’s a 5, you do that today. If it’s a 1, you don’t. You wait until you find time, or you ask for help with it. 

Don’t try to do it all! Because if you do, you will burn out, and then you will get NOTHING accomplished. 

2. Do Something For YOU Every Day

It doesn’t matter what it is, how small it is, whether it’s free, whether you leave the house or not, it does not matter. Do something for yourself every day. Take a bath, go get a pedicure, read 5 pages of your favorite book, take a nap, sit in your closet for 5 minutes and eat chocolate. Do something, anything! 

Having “me time” is important for your mental health. Take that break so you can come back refreshed and be the best mom you can be. If you’re a new mom, and you’re looking for an exercise routine – the postpartum cure is the best program for weight loss after pregnancy! Exercise can be a great way to spend your me-time, and it’s good for your physical health and your mental health!

3. Use The 5 Second Rule

This trick is so, so powerful. It’s the ultimate procrastination killer. Here’s how it works; when you think of something that needs to be done, we will say the dishes. Count to 5, and then get up and do it. If you sit there for more than 5 seconds, you will be able to come up with a million excuses as to why you should wait, or a list of things you should do instead, or you will get distracted. 

Thi strick is amazing for chores, exercising, or even just getting off your phone. Try it out, I promise it works, and it feels so good to cross things off your to-do list. 

4. Leave The House Every Day

This is especially crucial for moms that might be struggling with depression and anxiety. Getting out of the house is so important. You need sunlight, interaction, and distraction, and so do your kids! It can be as simple as playing in the yard or going for a walk, going to lunch, going to the bank, or even just going on a drive. 

If you feel better when you get dressed and ready for the day, do that too! Getting ready can be a good motivator to get out of the house. 

If you think you might be struggling with postpartum depression, be sure to check out our tips and tricks for managing PPD. 

5. Keep Your “Why” Front And Center

Whatever your goals may be, figure out your big “why” and keep it in sight! If you have fitness goals you want to achieve, write your goals out or find a picture of what you’re wanting to achieve and hang it on your mirror. Write positive affirmations on your fridge if you’re working on your diet. 

If your goal is as simple as wanting to be a happier mom, find a picture of your whole family where you were all truly happy and plaster it all over the house. Also, check out our 30 Day – Be A Happier Mom Challenge!

6. Prioritize Your Other Relationships

Kids take so much out of you, it can feel like you don’t have time for anyone else. But you have to get creative and make time. 

For your spouse, go on regular dates! If that’s not an option, pick a show for you two to watch together, or have a night a week you set aside to just talk and spend time together after the kids go to bed. 

For your friendships, do playdates! You will get to talk to her and if she has kids, your kids will be entertained and give you a break. Having friends throughout motherhood is so, so important! Maybe make it a goal to go out and have lunch with your friends once a month. 

7. Stick To A Schedule

Consistency is key. If you can build a habit of something, it becomes so much easier to do it. Whatever you’re trying to accomplish, make a schedule for yourself that will help you move towards achieving it. If you want a cleaner house, make a cleaning schedule, laundry on certain days, dishes right after dinner, bathrooms once a week, etc. Make it realistic, and make it fit in well with your family’s current lifestyle. 

Don’t forget to make to-do lists! Making lists is a great way to keep up the motivation! As you cross things off the list, it helps you stay encouraged and motivated to keep going. Make a daily to-do list of things that need to be done that day, and maybe a low priority to-do list for things that you can do when you have extra time. 

8. Make Sure You Are Involving the Whole Family In House Duties

Everyone in the family should be helping with the household duties. Everyone! It doesn’t matter if your spouse works and you don’t, or if your kids are only toddlers. Every little bit makes a difference. 

You can ask your husband to help with one or two chores, maybe it’s taking the trash out, doing dishes once a week, or putting away his own laundry. It’s not a lot to ask.  

As for kids, give them age-appropriate chores. The earlier you start the better! You would be surprised at what they can do. My 6 year old puts away the dishes every day, makes her bed,  picks up her room, and puts her own laundry away. 

To sweeten the deal a little bit, offer them an allowance at the end of the week if they do all their chores. This teaches about responsibility and finances! 

Using a chore chart can be a huge help, especially for the kids! Our printable chore chart is our best seller! Print as many as you like, and laminate to make it reusable! 

Another thing you can do to engage your family with household duties is set a monthly deep clean day that everyone participates in! This is a great time to do all of those chores you just can’t seem to find time for during the week, like bathrooms, dusting, wiping baseboards, etc. 

9. Find A Hobby 

There are a million hobbies out there! No matter what your circumstances are as far as time and money, you can still find something you enjoy. And taking that little bit of time to do something you enjoy can really re-energize you and get your motivation up. 

A few common hobbies are journaling, meditation/yoga, exercise, crafting, or even blogging! You might even find something that you are so passionate about that you can turn it into an income stream! This blog is mine. I love it, and it financially supports my family! Here are 100+ hobbies for moms to give you some more ideas. 

10. Find Something to Be Grateful for Every Morning

Gratitude sets the tone for a good day. No matter how bad things are in the moment, you can always find something to be grateful for, even if it’s as simple as your family waking up that day. If you can get into the routine of finding three things you’re grateful for every morning, you WILL become a happier person.

A perfect time for this is in the morning while you’re lying in bed, right before you get up. And if you really want it to stick, writing them down is a great way to focus on your gratitude. You can even look into starting a gratitude journal. 

11. Always Reward Yourself

Rewards are such a great way to keep up motivation. No matter how small the accomplishment, or how small the reward is, make sure you do it! Reward yourself with some me time, some self-care, some new clothes, a treat, etc. Whatever is going to make you appreciate yourself and all of your hard work. Because nothing is harder than being a mom! 

Are there any of these mom motivation ideas you haven’t tried? Do you have any you would add to this list?

We love to hear from our readers, please share your thoughts in the comments below! We would also really appreciate it if you could share this article on social media. We hope you found some good ideas on motivation for mom. Thank you for reading! 

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