With everything going on right now, taking “me time” doesn’t happen because we never seem to have any time. We can’t find the time in our schedule, or just the thought of having a “lazy day” when we could be doing something more “important” might make you feel a little guilty. However, while maintaining our gear, checking our supplies, and staying mentally sharp are all essential parts of preparedness, taking care of yourself is a crucial part of prepping, too.
August 10th – National Lazy Mom’s Day – came and went (no, I’m not going to pretend I knew that day existed, LOL…), but honestly, I believe every woman deserves to claim their own “lazy day” whenever she needs it, not just one day on the calendar. Self-care isn’t just something nice to do for yourself; it’s mission-critical preparedness. And before you start thinking this is selfish or impractical, let me explain why.
Why Self-Care is Actually Prep Work
Think about it this way: in any emergency situation, you’re going to be the person others rely on. Your kids, your family, maybe even your neighbors are going to look to you for strength, clear thinking, and calm leadership. But you can’t pour from an empty cup, right?
When you’re running on fumes – exhausted, stressed, and mentally drained – your decision-making suffers. Your patience runs thin. Your ability to handle unexpected challenges takes a serious hit. That’s not the person you want to be when life throws you a curveball.
Taking time to recharge isn’t lazy – it’s strategic. It’s ensuring that your most important piece of emergency equipment (your mind) is in peak condition.
Pre-Planning Your Lazy Day Like a Pro
Just like we prep our emergency kits in advance, a successful lazy day requires some upfront planning. Here’s how to set up that “me time” with ease:
Clear Your Schedule – This means actually saying “no” to things. I know, I know, it’s harder than it sounds. But treat this like you would any other important appointment. Block out the time and protect it fiercely. And don’t let people guilt you into doing something else and steal that time away from you. “No” is a complete sentence – you do not have to justify it or try to make an excuse for not being available.
Prep Your Meals – The last thing you want is to spend your lazy day cooking and cleaning. Prepare simple meals the night before, stock up on easy snacks, or – even though I preach cutting out take-out or delivery services to save money – make that the day you order takeout without feeling guilty about it.
Delegate Like a Boss – If you have kids old enough to help, assign them extra chores. If you have a partner or roommate, make sure they know they’re on duty for that time. Don’t have either? Consider asking a friend to help with kid duties in exchange for you doing the same for them on their lazy day of choice.
Set Boundaries – Let people know you’re taking the day (or designated hours) off. Turn off non-emergency notifications. Create a bubble of peace around yourself and defend it.
Creating Your Relaxation Sanctuary
Your environment plays a huge role in how relaxed you actually feel. You don’t need a fancy spa – you just need a space that feels peaceful to you.
Set up a cozy corner with soft blankets and pillows. If you’re planning some at-home spa time, gather your supplies in advance: face masks, bath bombs, essential oils, whatever makes you feel pampered. Having everything ready means no running around looking for things when you just want to chill.
Tech Boundaries – Consider taking a break from social media for the day. The highlight reels of other people’s lives aren’t what you need when you’re trying to focus on your own well-being; instead, queue up movies you love, download those podcast episodes you wanted to check out (feel free to start with mine), or grab that book you’ve been meaning to read.
Physical Self-Care That Doesn’t Feel Like Work
Even on a lazy day, moving your body a little can actually help you feel more relaxed. I’m not talking about an intense workout – think gentle and nurturing instead.
Get Outside – Sometimes the best thing you can do is sit in your backyard or on your balcony with a cup of coffee. Fresh air and natural light do wonders for your mood and stress levels. If you feel like it, take a slow walk around the neighborhood. No fitness goals, no pace targets – just moving because it feels good.
Gentle Movement – Yoga, stretching, or even just lying on the floor and doing some deep breathing can help release the tension you’ve been carrying. Your body holds onto stress in ways you might not even realize.
The Sacred Bath – Take a bath in the middle of the day if you want to. Add some Epsom salts or essential oils. Light a candle. Make it an event. This isn’t just about getting clean – it’s about literally washing away the stress of the week.
Mental and Emotional Reset
Your mind needs downtime just as much as your body does. Here’s how to give it the rest it deserves:
Permission to Rest – Sleep in if you can. Take a nap in the afternoon without guilt. Sometimes your body is telling you it needs more rest, and ignoring that signal isn’t doing anyone any favors.
Quiet the Mental Chatter – Try some meditation or mindfulness exercises. Even five minutes of focused breathing can help calm the constant mental to-do list that runs in the background. There are tons of free apps if you need guidance getting started.
Brain Candy – Watch that trashy TV show. Read the romance novel. Listen to the podcast about true crime or celebrity gossip. Your brain doesn’t always need to be consuming educational content. Sometimes it needs to just… not think so hard.
Making It Work with Real Life
Look, I get it. The reality of being a single mom or solo woman means that truly “lazy” days can be hard to come by. But here’s the thing – self-care doesn’t always require huge blocks of uninterrupted time.
Micro-Moments – Even 15-30 minutes of intentional self-care is better than nothing. Take a long shower, do a face mask while the kids watch a movie, or just sit with your morning coffee for half an hour before everyone else wakes up.
Lower the Bar – Your lazy day doesn’t have to be Instagram-perfect. Maybe it’s ordering pizza for dinner and letting the kids have extra screen time while you read a book. That’s still self-care. The idea is to let yourself decompress.
Ask for Help – If you have friends or family who could watch the kids for a few hours, ask. Most people are understanding and happy to help when they know exactly what you need and when you need it.
The Prep Mindset Applied to Self-Care
As preppers, we’re always thinking ahead, planning for scenarios, and making sure we have what we need when we need it. Apply that same mindset to your self-care:
- Schedule regular lazy days or hours – Don’t wait until you’re completely burned out. If you don’t take time to rest and recharge, your body will make you. Don’t wait until you’re about to collapse before you allow yourself time to decompress regularly.
- Build a self-care emergency kit – Consider a “spa cart” or tote that holds all of your special spa day items. Face masks, tea, comfortable clothes, that plush robe, and poofy slippers, whatever helps you relax.
- Have backup plans – if your original lazy day plans fall through, have simpler alternatives ready, such as at least blocking out a couple of hours.
- Make it routine – just like checking your emergency supplies, checking in with your own well-being should be regular maintenance!
Your Mental Health is Emergency Preparedness
Something we don’t talk about enough in the prepping community, and I constantly champion: your mental and emotional state during a crisis can make or break your ability to respond effectively. If you’re already running on empty when something happens, you won’t be able to think clearly, stay calm, or make good decisions.
Taking care of your mental health isn’t selfish – it’s responsible. It’s recognizing that you’re a valuable resource that needs maintenance and care. You wouldn’t let your car run without oil changes or your phone battery die completely every day. Your well-being deserves the same consideration.
Making It Sustainable
The goal isn’t to have one perfect lazy day and then go back to running yourself ragged for months. It’s to build regular self-care into your life in a way that actually works with your real circumstances.
Start small. Maybe it’s one hour every Sunday morning. Maybe it’s 20 minutes every evening after the kids go to bed. Whatever it is, make it non-negotiable. Treat it like any other important commitment in your life.
Remember, you’re not just taking care of yourself – you’re modeling healthy behavior for the people in your life who look up to you. You’re showing them that taking care of yourself is important, normal, and necessary.
So go ahead – plan that lazy day. Take that nap. Order the takeout. Let the laundry wait another day. Your future self (and everyone who depends on you) will be grateful you did.
While you’re taking that “me time,” check out my latest podcast episode. And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter.
