When was the last time you had “me-time” and how did you spend that time?
The last time I had ‘me-time’ was today when I had a bath! I know it’s not very Australian (l’m originally from the UK!) but I have a bath nearly every day because I find it relaxing and peaceful. As my kids are now a little bit older, they know to leave me alone when I’m in the bath - although I do get the occasional visitor or sometime my cat or dog hangs out with me!! I find that having somewhere to escape to that is 100% mine steels me for the rest of the time when I am ‘on’ for everyone else.
What are some of your favourite ways to practice self care?
During the week I get up at 5.45am and do a 20 minute meditation followed by a bath (see above). Although it is often painful to get up so early I find this quiet time in the morning prepares for the day, particularly the potentially stressful time of getting the kids up and off to school without them killing each other! It also sets the tone for my day - I have prioritised self care first and my cup is then full to give of my selves to others.
I also make time in my week to exercise - my favourites are Zumba (so much fun), yoga (great for the body and mind) and Pilates (keeps my body from falling apart!). I also love getting out in nature with the family and taking my dog Coco for a walk.
I make time to regularly catch up with friends and spend one on one time with my hubby. Motherhood can be a lonely journey and although social media is great, there is nothing better than catching up with friends in person and feeling like a human again. It’s easy to let the kids’ needs ambush the household but so important for you to enjoy couple time with your partner to remember that you are not only co-parents but still friends and lovers.
What advice would you give to mamas struggling to create “me-time”? How do you make time in your schedule for yourself?
Now that my children are older and at school, finding time for me is a bit easier than when they were very young. During this period I was extremely sleep deprived and their needs were very immediate and time consuming. I wish that I had discovered meditation during this early phase of motherhood - I think if i had it may have prevented some of the serious problems I experienced with anxiety and depression a little later on in my motherhood journey. There are now so many amazing resources out there from meditation apps to mindfulness challenges that did not exist when I was a mum of young children. I really encourage all mums to practice some kind of meditation or mindfulness for at least 5 minutes a day - the benefits are cumulative and even 5 minutes a day can be a huge help.
The other thing I do, which may seem out of reach for some Mums - is treat myself a weekend away a year at a wellness retreat. This is something I look forward to each year as the ultimate gift to myself and my family - they appreciate their time together without me, they appreciate me so much more when I return, and I return with more vitality, love and enthusiasm for my role as mum. Given that our role as mum is a 24 hour/365 day a year unpaid and often unappreciated gig, I have no problem investing in myself both financially and time wise to make this happen.
Even though my kids are a bit older now, I do have a new baby - my new business METreat Retreats! As I am so passionate about my baby, I am very tempted to devote all my hours to either childcare or my business. But I am very mindful of not letting myself get too carried away at the computer and make sure I have a break every day to exercise, take the dog for a walk, attend networking events with other working mums, and eat something healthy.