I love being a mom. Taking care of my two kids and watching them grow up is probably one of the best things I’ve had the opportunity of witnessing. And it’s something that I think a lot of other moms will agree on. No amount of temper tantrums, sleepless nights, and cleaning up after them will overshadow the kind of joy you get when you see them playing happily or just being sound asleep.

I want to be there for my kids for as long as I can. I want to witness every moment and every milestone. I want to teach them every life lesson there is to teach them, which is why I try to be involved in their lives as much as possible. From dropping them off at school to helping out their Girl Scout troop, I’m just about as soccer mom as a soccer mom can be (minus the soccer part).

But I know that I can only be there for my family and my kids if I don’t forget to take care of myself. So many times, us moms have a tendency to put our family ahead of our own needs that we end up neglecting our physical, mental, and emotional health. Which is why I’ve come up with a few things I’ve learned to do to help me be the healthiest I can be for my family.

Getting an annual physical checkup

You don’t have to wait for a health awareness month to get your health checked by health practitioners. In fact, it’s important that you at least get yourself checked out by the doctor once a year. This is to help you figure out what condition your body is in so you don’t end up finding out about surprise medical conditions that could have been prevented by a simple trip to the medical facility. I feel like the worst thing you can do for your family is knock yourself out of commission and drop a hefty amount of money on medical expenses simply because you got sick.

Taking a personal day off

I know being a mom is a 24/7 responsibility, but I’m sure you can relate when I say there are some days where it’s all too much, right? I remember hearing stories about other moms locking themselves in their pantry to get away from their kids for a few minutes. I don’t want to get to that point, so every once in a while, I let my husband tag in and take care of the kids and the chores and the errands at home so I can spend one day entirely to myself. And you can too!

However you decide to spend your day off is entirely up to you. If you’re like me, you can simply go to a quiet spot in the park and catch up on your latest read, or you can try going for a nature walk in the woods. I find those two activities to be really calming. Or you could also go for a spa day and treat yourself to a massage from a professional, and maybe get your hair and nails done as well.

So there you have it: a few things that can help you be the best mom you can be for as long as your body wills you to.