When was the last time you had “me-time” and how did you spend that time?
I used to never have (or make) time for myself because I didn’t want to be selfish. I always felt guilty when I took time away. But I have realized over the years that I am a better mom and wife when I allow time for self-care. On a more regular basis, that can be sneaking away for a 30 minute hot bath. It can be getting the kids involved with an activity so that I can take 15 minutes to sit in my office and work or read a good book.
And each week, my husband and I have carved out time for me to leave the house for 3 hours to write. Total time for me to dive into my work + passion.
What are some of your favourite ways to practice self care?
It often looks different for me. And since I run multiple businesses from home, my alone time is often spend “working” for the time being. But, I LOVE what I do, so it’s always fun. I’d love to say it’s full of massages and hair appointments and weekend trips away with the girlfriends but honestly, in this stage of life, it’s more like a hot bath upstairs, a solo trip to the thrift store or a few hours at the coffee shop. And it works perfectly for our family.
What advice would you give to mamas struggling to create “me-time”? How do you make time in your schedule for yourself?
Schedule in it. And also, be spontaneous with it. Make sure to get it on the calendar and arrange for that time to yourself and then stick with it. Do something that fills you up so you have more to give by the time you get back. And when those spontaneous opportunities arise to invest in yourself, do it. And don’t feel guilty that you are taking time away. But instead, take advantage of that time to fill your cup up to overflowing so that you can pour more into others.