17 Small Things Moms Do To Turn Their Day Around
Because it really doesn’t take much.
One of the most comforting things in the world to me is how something so small can change an entire day around. A hot shower after a long day? Bliss. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich when you’re feeling blah? Heaven. A brand new pair of socks when you’ve been wearing old, holey ones for years? Paradise.
When I became a mom, those small things really made such a huge difference for me. An entire day could be derailed by a diaper blowout in the car seat, but could be fixed entirely by 10 minutes alone with a slice of cheesecake I bought at the grocery store. I will never forget a friend telling me when my oldest was just a couple of months old that you forget what it’s like to hold a coffee cup with two hands when you become a mom. It hit me like a ton of bricks: Holy shit. To this day, whenever I have an opportunity to hold a warm cup of coffee with two hands — not while bouncing a baby or blow-drying my hair or walking to the car for school drop-off — I take it, and it instantly fixes any part of my day that was feeling a little meh.
So, if you need some inspiration, 17 moms here share their own small things they do to turn their day around. Maybe it’s something they’ve scheduled in so they know it’s coming or something they just do on a whim when their day needs a dopamine burst, but no matter what, they’re pretty easy and accessible for anybody to try.
Grocery Delivery
“I can not express how much grocery delivery has changed my life. The minute I realize I can just order groceries and have them delivered instead of stressing myself out panicking about how I’ll fit a grocery store trip into my day? Magic.” — Hillary F., mom of two
New Underwear
“I spent years wearing old underwear and just felt extremely ‘I don’t need to buy new undies, who cares?’ about the whole thing. But I recently placed a huge order for good underwear and when they came, I swear it made everything in my life instantly better.” — Caroline F, mom of three
Going To A Gym With Childcare
“This is my number one parenting tip: sign up for a gym with childcare. It is worth every single penny — and cheaper than daycare or a nanny — and I get time every single day to myself to recharge. I don’t even work out every time; sometimes I just go in the sauna.” — Sarah P., mom of two
Reading With Coffee In The Morning
“I struggled to find time to read after having kids, but making my coffee time in the morning also my reading time was a game-changer. It sets me up for the whole day, and while it does mean giving up some sleep, I really can’t explain how much I love it.” — Tara P., mom of one
A Mocktail In The Afternoon
“When that 3 p.m. slump hits, I make myself a full-on mocktail. And I don’t just mean juice — I shake things up, I add garnishes, I pour it into a fancy glass. The whole thing just makes my day feel better.” — Bridget L., mom of three
An “Everything” Shower On Clean Sheets Night
“I change my bedsheets regularly, but there is nothing as perfect as timing my ‘everything’ shower with ‘clean sheets night.’ I feel like a queen.” — Lydia R., mom of two
Have A Weekend Babysitter Twice A Month
“So much of our stress about having alone time or date nights was because we never had a plan. Trying to find a babysitter at the last minute was a nightmare, and weekend nights always felt so high-pressure. We started scheduling a weekend babysitter twice a month on Sundays. She comes for six hours, and we go and do whatever we want. Sometimes it’s a date, sometimes we take care of stuff around the house. Because it’s always scheduled, our kids don’t freak out about being away from us, and it really helps us to know a break is always on the schedule.” — Carrie L., mom of four
A Heating Pad
“I have two heating pads stationed in my house, and nothing makes me feel more luxurious than being tucked into a blanket on my couch with one of them.” — Pamela T., mom of one
Dinner In Front Of The TV
“We have plenty of family dinner nights, but on days where we really need it, I love nothing more than eating dinner in front of the TV. A good show on and a bowl of something delicious in my lap? it fixes even the worst moods.” — Gina S., mom of two
A Bag Of Car Snacks
“We are in our car so much, so I finally made a bag of car snacks to just keep in the trunk. Beef jerky, bags of chips, applesauce pouches — it’s amazing when we’re in the car on the way to practice or driving somewhere and I can whip it out for us.” — Denise P., mom of two
Lavender Pillow Spray
“It may just be a placebo effect, but I swear, lavender pillow spray has changed my whole day around. It makes me feel fancy, and I really do think it helps me sleep better.” — Rachel W., mom of two
Getting The Car Washed
“I don’t know why it works, but the best way to change a meh day around is for me to take the car through the car wash. I always get myself an iced coffee, take it through, and then take the long way home. It’s the best treat.” — Hannah N., mom of one
Solar Twinkle Lights
“Being outside is just good for my soul, and when I discovered solar twinkle lights, it changed everything. As soon as they click on, I know it’s time to go sit in my hammock and recharge for a bit.” — Taylor K., mom of three
A Watercolor Workbook
“I randomly bought a watercolor workbook, even though I’ve never been artsy. There’s something so appealing about pulling it out at the kitchen table or on the porch whenever I need a reset. I just do it for 15 or 20 minutes and bam, I feel better about everything.” — Jennifer L., mom of two
Programming Coffee The Night Before
“Literally nothing feels better than walking into the kitchen and finding a full pot of coffee waiting for me. While nighttime me may be annoyed with having to program it before I go to sleep, morning me is always delighted.” — Valerie E., mom of four
Playing Music In The Mornings
“I have several playlists for the morning, depending on everyone’s mood. Most of them are soft and calming, but on mornings we’re running out the door to a sport or something exciting, I have more energizing, pump-us-up tunes.” — Lauren C., mom of two
Putting On An Apron
“It sounds so silly, but when I get home from work and start to cook dinner, there’s something that really shifts my whole mindset by putting on an apron and getting to work. It feels like an end to my work day and a beginning to my actual favorite part of the day. I have so many cute aprons now, and I love choosing the one I want to wear.” — Nadia B., mom of one
