Somewhere in the far reaches of my memory I can recall the concept of Me time: A moment that involved me, a book and a cup of chamomile tea on the two-seater couch that just fitted in my tiny first apartment... A breeze would gently blow the sweet sound of children’s voices in through the open window. I would lie peacefully, my knees over the couch armrest, dreaming of the day when I would be married with children of my own…
Today, Me time is the three minutes I get on the loo to check Facebook before one of my sons bursts through the door to see what I am up to. It’s my drive to work – a luxury many stay-at-home mums would give anything to have – even once a week. Me time is the thirty minutes I get here and there when I just leave everything – dishes, dirty clothes, toys strewn into every nook and cranny. Sometimes I just look at it all and say “no, not right now” and I escape to my writing. Sometimes, me time is a coffee, uninterrupted, during work hours. That is a dream too – I know that and I appreciate every creamy sip.
So, what can you do, amidst the chaos that is your schedule, to create more Me time in your day? We have some suggestions for you below but we would really love to hear yours in the comments… because the truth is that we are all in this together:
Spend some time thinking about what gives you joy. What is it that gives you that moment of exhale from everything else in your life that can sometimes all add up to feel like a never-ending focus on ‘work’? For me, it is swimming. When I am in the water, I forget everything around me and just breathe. It is a little piece of heaven in a weightless space that is just for me.
Identify specific things you could outsource to some-one else in order to free up some time for you to get in that me time? I’ve recently outsourced the school drop-off to my husband so that I can race off the gym and jump into the pool for twenty minutes before I start my work day… aaaaahhhhhh
Give yourself permission and just go do what you love. It may not feel like it but, believe me, the time you sneak away from family and friends to spend on yourself will be paid back to them with dividends when a happier, healthier, more relaxed mom returns home to them after her Me-time
Now, we would love to hear from you… what do you do for Me time? Do you ever get any at all? What do you do with the three minutes you have on the loo? We’re all in this together and your comments could help thousands of mums around the world find their own space to take the time they need…
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See you soon!
The Working Mothers Expo, brought to you in partnership with MiWay Life, brings together everything a working mother needs under one roof. Take a step back from your hectic schedule, make some time to reflect, hear an inspiring speaker, indulge in some retail therapy and connect with other working mothers. We would like to create some dedicated time in your schedule that is all about you.
