Busy Philipps Admits That 'There's No Easy Answer' to Finding Time for Self-Care as a Mom

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For Busy Philipps, carving out the time to treat herself to some TLC has been instilled inside her from a young age.

"Growing up, my mother always had the perfect manicure. She would go to the salon a lot and get facials. Those beauty treatments were her time for herself because we didn't have childcare," Philipps, 42, tells PEOPLE.

"I remember my mom would take me to her beauty appointments. Since we didn't have phones, she would tell me to bring one of my Babysitter's Club books and I would sit and read while my mom had her time," the star adds. "It really did demonstrate the importance of taking time for yourself as a parent."

Now the actress and mom to daughters Birdie, 12, and Cricket, 8, is making it her mission to inspire other women to prioritize their own wellness. Starting today, the actress partnered with Oui by Yoplait and Essie to launch a special OuiFresh kit sweepstakes in honor of International Self-Care Day on July 24. By entering at Oui's Instagram by Thursday, July 22 at 3pm ET, 1,000 lucky winners will win a self-care pack stocked with six Essie polishes in shades that correspond to different Oui yogurt flavors.

OuiFresh x Essie

"It can be as simple as taking five minutes sitting down and having your Oui yogurt. Or it could be looking at the day ahead and deciding that you can reschedule one of your appointments for a later date because it's just too much. You're packing too much in," Philipps explains.

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Below, Philipps shares all of her favorite ways to create a little bit of time for herself, and what she hopes her daughters learn from her.

PEOPLE: You learned the importance of self-care from your mom. How are you passing it down to your own daughters?

Busy Philipps: "We do different kinds of things. Sometimes my nightly bath becomes a free=for-all in my bathroom. The door is open and my kids come in, sit down and talk to me. It's kind of fun. There's a part of me that could lament that I don't get just alone 'alone time'. But I have to say, I also am very well aware that my kids are getting older and the amount of time that they want to spend with me is getting shorter and shorter. So I will take it wherever I can get it. Sometimes, my kids have their own ideas about the thing is that they want to do."

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PEOPLE: What do they like to do with you?

BP: "They like to play makeup which is always a disaster and hilarious. They make me look ridiculous. For my little one, Cricket, I'll give her a 'moon bath' on a full moon, and make it really special with flowers and crystals. I've done that with Birdie as well."

PEOPLE: What's your favorite way to unwind?

BP: "I'm not a trashy TV watcher. It gives me anxiety. I do like taking quiet time and listening to music. I really love the new songs Big Red Machine are coming out with, and Taylor Swift. I'm like a late-in-life Taylor fan because — just to be honest — I was too old for Taylor [at first]. But when my older kid [Birdie] got into Taylor's music, then I was like, 'Oh, this is amazing. I love this.'"

PEOPLE: How do you incorporate wellness into your life?

BP: "I don't do it daily because I don't have a lot of time, but when I can I like to meditate. I sit up with my eyes closed and do transcendental meditation. Then, working out has been a thing that I've been able to do for myself for self-care because it really makes such a difference in my mood and getting endorphins going. I think if you had told me when I was in my early 20s that I would be one of those people, I would have rolled my eyes! I do LEKFIT in Los Angeles and I love it."

OuiFresh x Essie

PEOPLE: What advice do you have for other women who may struggle to find the time to do something for themselves?

BP: "There's no easy answer to how you do that because it requires you to become an advocate for yourself. You just have to make it a priority. During the pandemic, statistically, women in households burdened more of the domestic labor, the schooling and the childcare, in addition to maintaining their jobs outside of the home. I think that what is interesting now is as we shift back to the new normal in our lives, is how we continue to remember that it's important to carve out those moments for ourselves. It's okay to slow it down from time to time."