Somewhere along the way, I started believing that a “mental health day” meant everything would pause.
No responsibilities.
No chaos.
No one needing anything from me.
But today reminded me… that’s not really how it works when you’re a mom.
This morning, my dishwasher was scheduled to be serviced. So instead of a break, I found myself hand washing dishes.
Last night, my son had an accident, peed through his clothes and the bed, so I woke up already knowing laundry was waiting for me.
I washed his pajamas.
I washed the sheets.
I got the boys ready for the day.
And somehow, the house just kept… going.
At one point, I had the vacuum running across the floor while juggling everything else.
And I thought to myself…Wasn’t today supposed to be my day?
Have you ever had a day like that? Were you planning to rest…but didn’t get the memo?
But here’s the truth I’m starting to understand:
A mental health day doesn’t mean life stops. It means you decide to show up for yourself anyway, inside of the chaos.
After handling what needed to be handled, I paused. And for the first time today, I asked myself: “What do I want to do… for me?”
Not what needs to be cleaned.
Not what needs to be planned.
Not what everyone else needs.
Just… me.
When was the last time you asked yourself that? Not out of obligation… but genuinely?
And honestly? I didn’t want to do anything overwhelming.
I didn’t feel like meal planning.
I didn’t feel like doing a full grocery run.
I didn’t feel like being “productive” in the way we usually define it.
I just wanted something simple.
So I decided:
- Read a little
- Maybe post a blog
- Create something small
Nothing huge. Nothing perfect. Just… something that belongs to me.
What’s one small thing that feels like it belongs to you right now? (Not the big, perfect version, just something small.)
Let’s talk about food for a second, because this is real life too.
I had my protein coffee. Then some candy (no discipline, right? ) Then 2 boiled eggs with hot sauce, if you know, you know. And I tried yellow dragon fruit for the first time…
I wasn’t a fan.
And you know what? That’s okay too.
I still need to go to Walmart later. Or maybe I’ll just order groceries.
Because today isn’t about doing everything.
It’s about doing enough… without draining myself.
What would “enough” look like for you today? Not sure to-do list… Your actual capacity.
And maybe the most important part of today?
I’m giving myself permission to rest without guilt.
To sit down.
To read.
To not constantly feel like I need to be catching up on life.
If you’re a working mom reading this, I want you to know:
A mental health day doesn’t have to look perfect.
It doesn’t have to be quiet.
It doesn’t have to be productive.
Sometimes it looks like:
- doing laundry
- handling unexpected messes
- eating a mix of protein and candy
- and still trying to find a moment for yourself
And if all you did today was try to take care of yourself…
That counts.
More than you think.
Before You Go…
take a second and check in with yourself:
What do I actually need right now?
Am I expecting too much for myself today?
What is one small way I can choose myself?
If today felt heavy for you too, I just want to remind you:
You don’t need a perfect reset. You just need a small moment where you choose you.
Even if everything else is still moving.