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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be annoyed when being told everyone needs to self care?😡

272 replies

GloomyWaters · 17/04/2021 00:53

Been asked today...'So, what do you do for selfcare?"........ha ha ha!!!!! I dont have the flipping time!!!! "Well you need to make the time, everyone needs to have some selfcare"
ANNOYED.......AIBU???

OP posts:
Sleepyblueocean · 17/04/2021 13:51

I do find it annoying when people assume everyone can find many different times to self care. Ds needs watching from the time he gets up till when he goes to sleep (18 hours). For some of the time he needs both parents there because otherwise it is not safe due to aggressive meltdowns that can erupt in seconds. I have to go the loo with the door open and keep listening. I can do stuff but part of my mind is always on him. No one else can look after him and that includes respite etc. I get a break when he is in school but during the holidays when dh is working that isn't going to happen.

Macncheeseballs · 17/04/2021 13:57

Could you get an occasional takeaway to give yourself a break from cooking?

picklemewalnuts · 17/04/2021 14:05

As of this week I've used cleanser and moisturiser every day. I can see the difference in my face. I look fresher and less tired. Self care can be quite small things.

EveningOverRooftops · 17/04/2021 14:12

Self-care is in reality

  • resting when you need to (buying in childcare is OK!)
-getting enough sleep
  • eating meals that meet your needs (more iron if anemic, more fibre if constipated etc)
  • exercising even if you don’t like it. Gardening and walking counts.
  • taking your medications/multivitamins every day when required.
  • drinking enough water
  • saying NO
-setting firm boundaries. -making time for a hobby could be once a week sitting in front of the TV or going for a walk, doing something creative etc. -keep your space/bed/home clean (even if you hire someone to do it for you)

Buying in help, delegating to family memebers, saying NO are all part of this too.

It’s not all pamper time and bubble baths and fancy coffee and reading with wine like everyone makes out. It’s about meeting your own basic needs so you don’t burn out and suffer. There’s no point having a fancy pants bubble bath if you don’t have all the other in order.

I’ve been a carer for over a decade and no amount of bubble baths is eg: going to fix major constipation from poor drinking and relying on connivence foods because I’m burning the candle at both ends.

MilduraS · 17/04/2021 14:14

Well said @VegCheeseandCrackers
My idea of self care isn't always a long bath. More often than not, the biggest improvements to my well-being happen when I force myself to tackle a task I've been dreading. Clearing my inbox, updating my budget, doing a deep clean of the kitchen cupboards, meal planning and other bitty tasks. Not to mention, a forced bed time has done me the world of good.

ElsasFrozenVerucca · 17/04/2021 14:28

Self care is the things we do in order not to burn out. If you don't prioritise self care in the end your mind, your body or both force you to focus on self care a bit more. Usually this happens when a life event happens and everyone is shocked when the seemingly strong one falls completely to pieces. Putting self care too far down the list is a recipe for future problems like breakdowns and lots of chronic conditions

Sideorderofchips · 17/04/2021 14:32

Yanbu to be annoyed. Ex husbands bit of fluff was always on about self care and making time for her. Although her version of that was fucking my husband so my view maybe tainted 🤷‍♀️

B33Fr33 · 17/04/2021 14:34

Toxic positivity . You should do blah blah is completely unhelpful to anyone. You've got to lack in any sort of emotional range to be this way. It's another way of shifting blame onto an individual for everything that happens to them.

speakout · 17/04/2021 14:43

EveningOverRooftops

I agree.
Self care means so much more.

It can mean- shopping around for chea fuel contracts to easse financial pressure.
Paying bills on time.
tidying out cupboards and getting rid of stuff
getting up an hour earlier than I need to so I can exercise.

I don't count eating chocolate and loafing about as self care.

BillyTodd · 17/04/2021 15:13

Putting aside the fluff about candles and bubble baths, self care is everything we do to look after ourselves. It includes going to bed at a reasonable hour, eating food and having a shower, as well as the what might be thought of as "upgrades" such as a night off, a fancy bubble bath or a spa day.

We aren't machines, but the analogy is similar enough - we need certain things, in enough quantity and enough quality otherwise we break down. We don't expect a car to keep us motoring without fuel, oil, a service and an MOT once a year, and fixing the things that break properly, yet we expect it from our minds and bodies, which are much more complicated than a machine.

In my case I expected my body and mind to carry me though without enough rest; not just sleep but quiet down time. I didn't give myself that, because I thought I didn't have enough time(!) and I burnt out in 2018 and now have a chronic fatigue condition as a result.

I promise you that if you don't make time to do it on reasonable terms, your body and mind will break until you have to do it on unreasonable terms.

If you are expecting more from your body and mind - like the OP is, because she has a LOT on her plate - you need to put extra in, or you will break. Better quality food, better quality and sufficient rest, better quality off loading of mental and emotional burdens like counselling and therapy as well as letting off steam to good friends.

Unfortunately as everybody who HAS ever experienced burnout will testify, the least likely person to acknowledge they need to up their self care is the person who is well on the path to burn out, because it sounds like just another thing on the to-do list, and at that point you think you're invincible, you don't think you have any choice, and you see looking after yourself as a luxury you can't afford. I sympathise entirely, like I say, I have been there Flowers

Unfortunately though, self care isn't a luxury. It isn't pretty linen and bubble baths. I mean, it can include those, if that's your jam. For me it looks like weekly therapy, dropping some of the things I'm juggling regardless of if I think they'll smash if dropped or if anybody else will catch them. It looks like a kitchen timer to tell me to get off the computer after an hour. It looks like ready meals half the week, because though I enjoy cooking, I now understand my energy availability better (See: spoons theory). It looks like a rule to have fresh fruit or veg with every meal - I keep bagged salad and bought smoothies for the times when meal prep is a spoon too far. It looks like switching my phone off at 10pm. It looks like saying no to some things that my elderly parents I am a carer for, want me to do. It looks like outsourcing as necessary - they now go to the chiropodist for their feet instead of me doing a bad job of toenail cutting, and get their prescriptions and groceries delivered instead of me getting them. It looks like knowing my limit for how many hours I can spend on Zoom, and also choosing to send my child in a taxi to his sports training without guilt (I pick him up). It looks like getting a cleaner, when that's possible. I have a gardener, and it's the best £15 I could spend.

It looks like saying no to a lot of people and things that I used to say yes to, because I know that I simply do not have the energy to do it all without getting sick, properly sick. And I'm terrified of that, because I've been there and I promise you if you think you can't afford to drop any of the plates you are spinning now, when you burn out you will understand that they will all fall and smash if you don't take self care seriously.

Flowers
HamAndButterSandwich · 17/04/2021 15:41

Self care can mean different things to different people and doesn't always take a long time. It can mean not hoovering the house and having a tea instead. Sometimes it can mean finally sorting out the house rather than procrastinating. It can mean going on a run or it can mean skipping a run and watching a show instead. It could mean bringing a nice snack and magazine/book/Film on phone for while your DS does his sport.

That said I totally get what a PP said about toxic positivity. Often the kind of people who insist on 'self-care' aren't genuinely trying to help, they're patronising and a bit smug and yes it's irritating.

Beetlewing · 17/04/2021 18:47

Why are you doing so much when it means you don't have time to look after yourself? As my old mum used to say "there are no gold stars awarded for running yourself into the ground"

Beetlewing · 17/04/2021 18:50

@Thatwentbadly

I once read on MN that self care is being your own mother - rather than just being the fluffy have you done some mediations and has a relaxing bath more of a have you flossed, eaten enough veg and booked your over due smear test?
THIS!
Moonface123 · 17/04/2021 18:57

Learning to say no, and putting yourself first once in a while is a good form of self care.

forinborin · 17/04/2021 19:54

And then it’s followed up with that old chestnut, ‘Well, don’t you have someone who could take the kids for a bit?’ Like you’re wilfully ignoring this massive home and childcare support network that you must have (but, y’know, don’t) just to make yourself look like superwoman.
Yes, exactly.
Last summer I spent a week with excruciating tooth pain because I could not find anyone to look after the children for 4-5 hours needed for the dental visit, for the emergency slots they had available.
It really made me feel how shit my life is. I don't even know what I'd do in case of a more serious emergency, if I have to stay in a hospital for a few days, for example.

ArchieStar · 17/04/2021 20:06

I used to be the same, then I realised self care isn’t full on facials/beauty treatments and all that shit. My self care is reading mumsnet threads with a hot coffee.

CatRamsey · 17/04/2021 20:23

The issue with self care is that I use it as an excuse to not do the things that need to be done. I don't have kids so already have free time, but for example I am a part time student and should be doing coursework right now but because I'm feeling shit I've decided I'll play my computer games instead. In reality I don't think thats helping me because my coursework still needs to be done I'm just putting it off. Also I use it as an excuse to eat crap food...I feel shit today, I'll let myself eat that chocolate bar etc. But every day!

GrolliffetheDragon · 17/04/2021 20:55

Sometimes life is a bit crap. My time for myself is non existent atm because I'm working full time, doing all the housework, most of the cooking and most of the looking after DS. Hopefully this is temporary, but at the moment it's the way it has to be to keep us afloat financially.

ATieLikeRichardGere · 18/04/2021 00:24

I don’t think this idea that you should do your self care or you’ll have a mental breakdown is quite right. You can do lots of self care and still develop a serious mental illness. You can also do no self care and not develop any mental illness.

therocinante · 18/04/2021 00:28

@ATieLikeRichardGere

I don’t think this idea that you should do your self care or you’ll have a mental breakdown is quite right. You can do lots of self care and still develop a serious mental illness. You can also do no self care and not develop any mental illness.
A really good point. I said in my comment earlier "the stuff you do that stops you losing your shit" - it's actually more like "the things you know are more likely to help you to cope and not lose your shit but are not exhaustive and you can, very much, still lose your shit".

As I know from firsthand experience! And given a lot of people's experience with CAMHS' 'make sure you have a cup of tea and a bath' approach it's important to note that you aren't a failure if you do spectacularly lose your shit and you were self caring yourself seven ways to Sunday. That can happen. BUT if you can think of ways to make that less likely, good.

namechangeaga1ne · 18/04/2021 02:32

YANBU offers of time to help you out would be better

updownroundandround · 18/04/2021 11:38

*EveningOverRooftops Sat 17-Apr-21 14:12:03
Self-care is in reality

  • resting when you need to (buying in childcare is OK!)
-getting enough sleep
  • eating meals that meet your needs (more iron if anemic, more fibre if constipated etc)
  • exercising even if you don’t like it. Gardening and walking counts.
  • taking your medications/multivitamins every day when required.
  • drinking enough water
  • saying NO
-setting firm boundaries. -making time for a hobby could be once a week sitting in front of the TV or going for a walk, doing something creative etc. -keep your space/bed/home clean (even if you hire someone to do it for you)

Buying in help, delegating to family memebers, saying NO are all part of this too*

And what if you're

  • A single parent ? Maybe with a newborn/infant ? That's sleep gone.
  • A single parent to a 'challenging' / disabled child/ children ? That's any chance of 'childcare gone, even if you had the money.
  • You have no-one who can 'help' you, no family/ friends, nada ?
That's any chance of even a 30min break, day or night, gone.
  • You are on the breadline, on benefits ? That's any chance of buying 'childcare' gone, even if your DC's are not disabled etc. Also no chance of 'eating well' because if you rely on a foodbank, you eat whatever you're given.
  • As for 'exercising', it's often simply not possible because trying to keep more than 1 child safe when you have a 'challenging'/disabled child is just an extremely stressful experience, therefore it's only done when you have to eg school run.
  • Taking your medication/ vitamins every day - What if you can't afford to buy 'vitamins' or any 'over the counter' medications, and a 'trip to the doctor' is not going to happen unless it's for the DC or it's an emergency. (Have you ever tried to even talk to a doctor when your DC keeps running/ climbing/ screaming/ stimming etc ?
  • Saying NO- That's simply not an option for many parents.
  • Time for a 'hobby', is again unrealistic for many parents, they're lucky if they get time to pee/ eat daily. (And again, childcare and money are an issue for many).
  • Keep your 'space' clean/ tidy. - This is 'wishful thinking' for many people too, unfortunately. Time and money are factors, as well as not having the 'opportunity' in the day, and certainly not when any 'alone time' is at a premium. If you only get 30 mins a day (broken into 5min bits), then do you 'rest' or 'clean' ?

My point is that although I totally agree that 'taking care of yourself' is important, no-one should be made to 'feel guilty' when they can't do it.
And the stream of 'lucky' people who do have the time and money to self care, are actually the same people who are always bleating on about what they've bought/ where they're going on holiday etc etc

I also think it's unfair to ask other people (at work etc) to add to their stress, so that they can look after everyone else's stress Hmm

Sirzy · 18/04/2021 11:49

Self care doesn’t need a lot of time or money though. People have made that point regularly throughout the thread.

It’s so easy to get caught in the trap of thinking “I can’t” when actually you could IF it was a change you wanted to make.

ilovesooty · 18/04/2021 12:32

@namechangeaga1ne

YANBU offers of time to help you out would be better
They might be nice but people also have a personal responsibility. As stated above, it doesn't have to involve a lot of time or money.
BarbaraofSeville · 18/04/2021 12:50

Agree that you need to review everything you've taken on, and make time for yourself as well as everyone else.

The Organised Time Technique sounds like a good place to start for you. She identifies three types of people who think they have no time and how each type of person can change for a more balanced lifestyle. You're an overachiever, trying to fit too much in to your life.

About the driving DC around, she suggests sharing the load with other parents, and/or making use of the time while you're at the sporting thing to either do something nice for yourself (nice coffee and book, call a friend for a chat) or to do useful admin to free up time later - order the shopping for example.

www.theorganisedmum.blog/tott/

There's also some stuff on Youtube about how she implements TOTT herself if you don't want to buy the app or the book.