3 Self-Care Myths That Keep Working Moms Exhausted (and How to Break Them Today)
Introduction: The Pain We Don’t Talk About
Are you the mom who’s always last on her own to-do list?
Between work, kids, relationships, the house, the invisible mental load—you’re constantly giving. And you’re exhausted.
But even when you know you’re running on empty, you tell yourself you don’t have time for self-care. Or that it’s selfish. Or that you’ll get to it “later.”
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone.
These beliefs—these myths about self-care—are exactly what keep so many ambitious, loving moms stuck in survival mode. Let’s bust them together.
Myth 1: Self-Care Is a Luxury, Not a Necessity
We’ve been sold this idea that self-care is an extra—something you only get after you’ve earned it.
A bubble bath here. A massage there. A vacation you plan for months.
But that thinking is dangerous.
When you treat self-care as a luxury, it can immediately seem inaccessible. You give yourself permission to skip it. And over time? You burn out, you snap, or you feel like you’re failing everyone.
✅ Mindset Shift: Self-care isn’t a reward. It’s maintenance.
It’s how you function, not just how you treat yourself.
Think about it: you wouldn’t call eating or sleeping a luxury.
✅ Alternative: Make self-care as non-negotiable as brushing your teeth.
That could mean:
Getting 15 minutes alone with your coffee
Saying no to something you don’t want to do
Going to bed earlier or later just for some quiet self reflection time.
Myth 2: Self-Care Has to Be a Big Production
Another lie? That real self-care has to be fancy, expensive, or perfectly planned.
We imagine spa days, retreats, kid-free weekends. And when we don’t have the time or money? We do nothing.
This all-or-nothing thinking is holding you back.
✅ Mindset Shift: Self-care is accessible. It doesn’t have to be a production.
It’s anything that lets you pause, check in with yourself, and feel refueled.
✅ Alternative: Start small.
Eat lunch alone on your porch
Write in your journal for five minutes
Breathe deeply before heading into the next task. Those tiny resets add up.
Myth 3: Self-Care Is Selfish (and Can Wait Until You Have More Time)
Maybe the most damaging belief of all: that taking time for yourself is selfish.
Or worse—that you can just wait until life calms down.
But here’s the truth:
Putting yourself last doesn’t make you a better mom. It makes you a burned-out one.
✅ Mindset Shift: Self-care is not selfish. It’s how you stay capable of caring. You have heard this before, but it is worth repeating, You can’t pour from an empty cup.
And you’re not just doing this for you.
✅ Alternative: When you take care of yourself, you are teaching others how to treat you, Your are also modeling healthy boundaries and self-love for your kids. You’re showing them that their needs matter by honoring your own.
Closing: Give Yourself Permission
If you’ve been waiting for permission to put yourself first—this is it.
You deserve to feel whole, happy, and well—not just survive.
✨ Moms deserve happiness.
✨ Children deserve happy moms.
If you’re ready to reset and reclaim your time and energy, download the Ambitious Working Mom Reset Workbook now.
It’s your step-by-step guide to making space for yourself again—even in the middle of work, motherhood, and everything in between.
