How 10 Minutes of Painting a Day Helped Me Be a Calmer, Happier Mum

It was 9:47 pm. The kids were finally asleep, the kitchen was a state, and I was lying on the sofa doing exactly what I’d promised myself I wouldn’t do. Doom-scrolling through Instagram, feeling simultaneously exhausted and wired.

Sound familiar?

I’d read all the articles about self-care. I knew I was supposed to be, ‘filling my cup’ and, ‘putting on my own oxygen mask first.’ But honestly? Most nights, the idea of doing anything other than collapsing felt laughable. Self-care had somehow become another item on my endless to-do list, another thing I was failing at.

Then something small shifted. I started painting for ten minutes a day. Mostly flowers or still life, returning to my first love. Just me, some watercolours and sometimes oils if I felt fancy, and a few quiet minutes before bed. And slowly, without me quite realising it, I became a calmer, happier version of myself and a more patient mum.

Here’s how it happened.

Why Mums Need Tiny Creative Rituals (Not Big Life Makeovers)

When we imagine self-care, we often picture spa weekends, solo holidays, or complete lifestyle overhauls. And while those things sound lovely, they’re not exactly realistic when you’re juggling school runs, meal prep, work, and the relentless mental load of keeping tiny humans alive.

What I’ve learned is that we don’t need grand gestures. We need micro-moments. Little pockets of time, five, ten, fifteen minutes, that belong entirely to us.

Creativity, specifically, does something different to the brain. It pulls you out of the planning-worrying-remembering loop and into the present moment. You’re not thinking about tomorrow’s packed lunches when you’re mixing the perfect shade of blue. You’re just… there.

And here’s the thing that surprised me most: painting helped me reconnect with a version of myself I’d almost forgotten. The me that existed before I became ‘Mummy.’ Not replacing her, just remembering she’s still in there, buried somewhere beneath the laundry pile and the grocery lists.

You don’t need to be artistic. You don’t need to produce anything worth framing. You just need ten minutes and the willingness to try.

How I Discovered Quick Daily Painting (and Actually Stuck With It)

I’d tried other things to switch off. Telly, podcasts, scrolling, even the odd glass of wine. But I’d still go to bed with my mind racing, replaying conversations, mentally drafting emails, worrying about things I couldn’t control. Nothing really helped me decompress.

The painting thing started almost by accident. A friend mentioned she’d been doing little watercolour sketches to wind down, and something about it stuck with me. I didn’t want a big, intimidating art setup. I knew myself well enough to know that would become another abandoned project. So I started with a simple portable watercolour kit I found at https://tobioskits.com/ and it had everything in one place, compact enough to grab without any fuss or setup time.

That was the key, honestly. Having it ready to go, no searching for brushes or clearing space, meant I actually did it. I’d make a cup of tea after the kids went to bed, set a timer for ten minutes, and just paint. Sometimes flowers. Sometimes abstract patterns. Sometimes just colour experiments that looked like nothing at all. It didn’t matter. What mattered was the doing.

What 10 Minutes of Painting a Day Changed for Me as a Mum

The changes crept up on me quietly.

First, I noticed I was less snappy in the evenings. That window between dinner and bedtime, the one that used to feel like wading through treacle, became slightly easier. I had more patience for the hundredth request for water, the sudden “I need to tell you something” just as I’d turned off the light.

Then I realised my brain felt clearer. Painting gave me a break from the endless mental tabs I keep open: appointments, meal plans, permission slips, birthday presents, that email I still haven’t replied to. For ten minutes, all of that faded into the background.

I also started to feel more like myself. Not just Mum, but me. Someone who makes things, who plays with colour, who does something purely for the joy of it with no outcome required.

And unexpectedly, my screen time dropped. That mindless scroll I used to do? It got replaced by something that actually left me feeling rested instead of hollow. I started looking forward to my tea-and-paint ritual. It became the full stop at the end of my day.

Bringing the Kids In: Screen-Free Painting Moments Together

Once I’d established my own little routine, I started occasionally inviting the kids to join me. Not every time, my evening ritual is still mine, but on weekend afternoons or after school when everyone seemed a bit frazzled. My daughter draws all of the time but my older two are often at sports clubs or doing homework after school and this was the perfect activity to wind down.

We keep it simple and pressure-free. A few of our favourite prompts:

Paint your feelings. ‘What colour is your day today?’ My daughter once painted a whole page of yellow and orange because she’d had a ‘sunny’ day at school. My son painted grey with red spots because he was ‘a bit grumpy but also excited about football.’

Paint the weather. We look out the window and paint what we see. Rainy days are surprisingly fun.

Paint your favourite things. Animals, characters, foods, whatever they’re into that week.

The rule is: there’s no wrong way to do it. We’re not trying to create art for the fridge. We’re just messing about with colours, chatting, and being together without a screen in sight.

It’s become one of my favourite ways to reconnect with them, especially after busy days when everyone’s a bit overstimulated. There’s something about sitting side by side, brushes in hand, that opens up conversations in a way that direct questions never do.

A Gentle Reminder for Tired Mums Everywhere

If you’ve read this far and you’re thinking, ‘That sounds nice, but I don’t have time,’ I hear you. Truly. Mum life is relentless, and the last thing I want is to add another ‘should’ to your list.

But here’s what I’ll say: you don’t need an hour. You don’t need experience. You don’t need a perfect setup or a quiet house or permission from anyone.

Five minutes with a pen and some paper counts. Ten minutes with a cheap set of watercolours counts. Scribbling shapes while your toddler naps counts.

It’s not about the painting, really. It’s about giving yourself a tiny pocket of time that’s just for you. A few minutes where you’re not solving problems, meeting needs, or ticking boxes. Just being.

So, if any of this resonated with you, I’d love to know. What’s one small creative ritual you’d love to try for yourself?