What Are Some Effective Self-Care Practices for Women Who Are Caregivers?
By Lola Olajide, Founder of Ruthy Michaels
Ruthy Michaels, founder of therapeutic colouring book brand Ruthy Michaels, smiling and holding two colouring markers against an orange background — self-care and mindfulness colouring for busy mums and caregivers.
When you spend your days caring for someone else — a parent, a partner, a child with extra needs, or patients and clients in your working life — your own needs quietly slide to the bottom of the list. Not because you don't matter. Because there's simply no time left by the time everyone else is okay.
But here's the truth every caregiver eventually learns: you cannot pour from an empty cup. Self-care isn't selfish when you're a carer — it's maintenance. It's what keeps you going.
Here are five self-care practices that actually fit into a caregiver's life:
1. Micro-moments, not big gestures.
Forget the pressure of an hour of "me time" — it rarely comes. Instead, claim small pockets: ten minutes of colouring while the kettle boils down, one journal page before bed, a slow cup of tea before the house wakes. Small, done daily, beats big, done never.
2. Journal the load out of your head.
Caregivers carry an invisible mental list — medications, appointments, moods, meals. Writing it down, even messily, moves the weight from your mind onto paper. Try ending each entry with one line: "Today, I did enough."
3. Colour to switch off the alarm system.
Caring keeps you in a constant state of alertness — listening out, anticipating, watching. Colouring gives your brain a gentle, repetitive task that lets that alarm system stand down for a few minutes. It's mindfulness without having to sit still and "empty your mind."
4. Say yes to help, in advance.
When someone says "let me know if you need anything," answer straight away: "Yes — could you sit with Mum on Thursday?" or "Could you grab milk when you shop?" People genuinely want to help; they just need a specific job.
5. Grieve the small losses.
Caring often comes with quiet grief — for the person changing before your eyes, or for the life you had planned. Let yourself feel it. A journal is a safe place to say the things you can't say out loud.
You deserve care, too.
If you only have ten minutes today, my free 10 Minute Reset Kit was made for exactly that: a colouring page, a breathing exercise, and an affirmation to steady you: [bit.ly/4tFKPNL]
And if you're carrying grief alongside caring, you might find gentleness in our guided grief journals: [shop link]
Colour. Journal. Breathe. 🌸
