20 Apr 20 Ways to Stay Motivated as a Single Mother
Single parenting is not an easy task; you’re dealing with the pressures of work, disagreements with the other parent, criticism from family members, and the struggles of disciplining your kids at times. This can suck any motivation out of you, leaving you wondering if life can be better. Here are 20 ways to stay motivated and positive as a single mother.
1. Don’t Be Hard on Yourself
It’s easy to compare yourself to moms you know or those moms on Pinterest boards. Your kids don’t like vegetables, yet your sister’s kids love spinach and carrots with their meals. You want your house to look spotless, but with two kids under age five, it just isn’t realistic. Remember that there is no perfect mom, and your kids won’t care if you give them pizza instead of an elaborate meal for dinner. You’re doing an amazing job, and that’s what really matters.
2. Get a Support System
If your motivation is draining, find a good support system. Join a local support group for single moms, and obtain phone numbers from them, or call friends who are single mothers and pour out your frustrations when life gets rough. You can also visit relatives who can give encouragement and sound advice.
3. Find a Creative Outlet
Don’t let your days be filled up work and meal preparation. It’s important to find a creative outlet that you can enjoy. If you enjoy shopping for the best bargains, start a blog that helps other single moms shop smart. If you have a background in real estate, start a YouTube channel to help first-time home buyers and sellers. This will add fun to your life, and you might earn extra money this way.
4. Include Exercise in Your Routine
When you make time for exercise, you’ll feel better physically and mentally. You’ll also be more motivated to get through the day. This doesn’t require a gym membership; you can watch some online exercise videos and work out in your living room. Your kids can exercise with you, and it teaches them the importance of staying fit for a healthy life.
5. Learn Something New
Keep your brain sharp by learning new skills. If you’ve always been interested in learning to make different crafts, read some books from the library about certain types of crafts. Then you can attempt to do them on weekends with the kids. If you want to advance in your teaching career, save money to attend a local teachers’ conference.
6. Think about Your Long-term Goals
Sometimes your long-term goals can keep you motivated on the tough days. When it looks like your search for home-based employment is going nowhere after you quit your job, think about why you’re doing it. If you’re tempted to spend money on clothes you don’t need, think about how that decision will put you further from your goal of saving for a vacation in the summer.
7. Congratulate Yourself
It also helps to congratulate yourself when you achieve small milestones in life. If your six-year-old is finally learning to read effectively after months of practicing with him at home, be excited about the progress. Or if you just lost ten pounds after a month, reward yourself with a homemade healthy snack. This motivates you to keep up the good work.
8. Maintain a Journal
A journal is more than just the details of your day. Use your journal to record where you are in your life emotionally, spiritually, and physically. It helps to see your struggles so that you’ll know how to get back on track. If you see a pattern of days when you got angry with the kids for no reason, maybe you need to figure out why this is happening. Then you can work toward making changes.
9. Don’t Pursue Someone Else’s Expectations
One reason why some single moms lack motivation is because they’re trying to live up to others’ expectations of them. Maybe it’s your lifelong dream to relocate to a new, up-and-coming city with the kids, but loved ones feel that the cost of living there will be too much for you to handle. Or maybe you want to homeschool your kids, but some of your friends disagree. You know what is best you and your family, so don’t let criticism keep you from your path.
10. Create a Consistent Schedule
When you don’t have a regular routine, things get chaotic, and motivation goes out the window. You can create a schedule that you can stick to each week. Include your most important tasks in the schedule. These might include editing your Youtube videos, writing new blog posts, exercising, or cleaning the house.
11. Read Success Stories
Another way to stay motivated is to read some success stories of single mothers who are doing great things with their lives. Look at how they overcame certain obstacles in their lives, and use some of the advice they gave to those in the same situation as yourself. Knowing that others like you succeeded is the best motivation to create the life you want.
12. Figure out What Doesn’t Work
Not only should you keep doing the right things, but you should also think about eliminating the things that don’t work for you. If you have not been consistent with disciplining the kids, then resolve to be less of a permissive parent, and be more structured in your parenting. Or if you slacked in your exercise routine because you can’t do it in the morning, switch over to a nighttime workout routine.
13. Listen to Motivational Music
Music has the ability to inspire you, and this is an amazing way to stay motivated. Go through your music streaming app, and listen to specific songs from different genres that get you going. This is really helpful if your tasks for the day are mundane or boring.
14. Take Goals One Step at a Time
You have an overall large dream, but it is made of small goals. Take your goals one day at a time, and don’t get discouraged if some goals weren’t achieved. You can always go back to the drawing board and create new strategies for getting where you need to be.
15. Remember That Your Kids Are Watching
Your kids are watching how you live your life. You are a walking example of how a person should conduct herself with respect and compassion. As you make decisions during the week, think about how those choices will impact your kids long after they become adults.
16. Cut out Distractions
If you’re a work-from-home mom, then you know that it is hard not to get distracted when there is so much that calls for your attention. When you’re working, turn off the TV and place your mobile devices in another room, so you won’t be easily tempted to use them.
17. Just Get Started
Don’t wait until motivation hits you to accomplish an important task. Sometimes you’ll need to get started even if you don’t feel like it. As you do it more and more, the motivation will come.
18. Create a Vision Board
There’s something about looking at images that serves as inspiration. Get a large bulletin board and post pictures, quotes, paintings, and anything else that pertains to what you want to accomplish going forward. Refer to it each time you feel like giving up.
19. Get Therapy
If your lack of motivation stems from deeper issues, it might be time to get therapy. During therapy, go into detail about events in your past that were painful for you. Listen to the counselor’s suggestions, and keep track of the healing process in a journal.
20. Always Be Grateful
Even when life takes a bad turn at times, there is always a reason to be thankful. Take time to show gratitude to those that assist you in raising your kids. When your kids do the right things without being asked, thank them. Be thankful for your job and good health. Gratitude does wonders for motivation.
In conclusion, don’t let life’s detours cause you to lose heart and give up. Your kids love and depend on you, and they see your hard work on their behalf.
