In my opinion, no one is more over scheduled than a mom. Our calendars are packed full of working, errands, laundry, diapering, cooking, cleaning up after kids, driving those kids to and from, helping with homework, bathing, reading books, getting to bed, etc. Just reviewing this list makes me stressed and exhausted!
The bottom line is that no matter how tight your schedule might seem, you have GOT to find a little bit of ‘me-time’ for yourself.
I know that if I don’t get time for a walk or mini-workout (alone), I am a grouchy, grumpy mess. I find that I become increasingly resentful toward my husband and kids, which does not a good mommy/wife make!
So how can you find this time just for you?
- Put it on your calendar.
- Hire a babysitter if necessary.
- I try to get up and get a walk in early before my husband has to leave for work. Just that short time in the morning helps me start off my day with a much better attitude.
- Sometimes I set my kids up with some toys, lock my bedroom door (so they can’t get out and roam the house) and take a nice long, hot shower. I set a timer and tell them not to come in the bathroom until the timer goes off. Usually, it works.
- When I’m really needing to get out of the house, I load the kids up in the double stroller, give them some candy, and take off running. (or walking, now that I’m so pregnant) Yes, the candy is a bribe and not great for them, but desperate times call for desperate measures!
Do not feel guilty for taking care of yourself because you know what? If you are sick (or not around because you have run off to join the circus), you are no good to your family anyway.
Prevent this from happening by taking care of yourself NOW!
These are my tips, do you have any to share? How do you find “me-time” in your day?
These are all great tips!! I’m lucky because both of my kids are now in school ALL DAY!!!! But when they were younger, I did many of the things you list here. The double stroller was a godsend; I’d pack ’em up and walk around the botanical gardens (or the mall if the weather was bad). Great exercise for me, and they loved it.
These days we’ll often go outside and walk around the neighborhood. They walk on their own now.
(But,I’m gonna come right out and say that the Sit-n-Stand stroller is one of mankind’s greatest inventions!)
Its a nonnegotiable up in herre.
I get an hour every morning.
period.
always.
whats that?
why YES 🙂 I am up at 4a–but I GET THAT HOUR!
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great tips.
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I am a morning person, so I do my Shredding first thing! Check out my new exercise blog (aren’t you proud of me?)
http://septshred.blogspot.com
Hey, I think that running off with the circus idea sounds great 😉 I hear they have trapeze class not too far from us…wanna go (after that baby pops out I mean, tee hee).
Jamie 🙂
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Great advice! I’m trying to squeeze workouts back into my schedule – I think I am just going to have to calendar it in. Thank you!
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I have to have my time at night rather than the morning. It sounds great, but I’ve discovered once a night owl, always a night owl!
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