How often do you find yourself mumbling, “I need a vacation”, “I need some time to myself”, or “Calgon take me away”? If you’re like most women today, the answer is probably – pretty often. As much as you may love your responsibilities as a mother, wife, and career woman, balancing all three of these things is enough to drive anyone insane from time to time. The fact of the matter is, you need it… time to yourself. Time to just be and not have to worry.
You might be thinking that “me time” is an impossible feat, but that’s not the case. Whether it’s 30 minutes to take a nice hot bath or an entire day to do as you please, it is important that you schedule time to do things that you enjoy.
When’s the last time you considered pampering yourself with a nice facial or massage from AOB Med Spa or spent the weekend in a lavish hotel like the Hilton or Marriott? If the answer happens to end with “years,” then it’s high time you pencil ‘me time’ into your busy day.
But How?
You work a regular job from 9 to 5, you have several kids and maybe even a spouse or boyfriend, so essentially when you get off one job you transition into the next. How in the world are you supposed to find the time to spend alone? While it will require some maneuvering and the support of others, you can schedule time for yourself into your busy schedule. Here’s how:
Create a Schedule
As an adult, the days of spontaneity might be far and few in between. Work schedules and family schedules can often make just getting up and going a bit challenging. Therefore, you’ll need to actually look at your calendar and get some dates in mind. Whether you decide you’ll have some me time once a month, once a week, or every day, you need to have an idea of when so you can coordinate your schedule accordingly.
Call in the Calvary
They weren’t lying when they said, “it takes a village to raise a child”. It certainly does… and now is the time to call in the village for a little support. Whether you turn to your spouse, parents, siblings, other relatives, or friends, you need to find people that you trust to watch your children while you spend time enjoying yourself.
Don’t Underestimate a Lunch Break
If you want to make “me time” a part of your daily routine, then you should definitely take advantage of your lunch hour. If you work in an area where there are lots of things to do like get a facial or go shopping, then you’re in luck. Take your lunch hour and just spend it doing things that make you happy. This won’t interrupt anyone’s schedule and doesn’t require the need for a sitter.
Take a Personal Day
You don’t have to be a workaholic all the time. If you really want to get away and spend time alone then schedule a personal day in the office. Of course, you’ll want to make sure it’s during a time when there’s not much going on, but you’ll enjoy being out of the office while everyone else is at work. Take the day to explore your town, treat yourself to a nice meal, or just come home and rest.
Get the Kids Involved in Activities
You know what’s great about after school activities? Most programs don’t require the parents to sit and watch the kids the entire time and it’s a great way to keep your kids busy. So if your child happens to play for the little league team or has taken up dance classes, drop them off at practice and head to a nearby shopping center. This gives the kids time to focus on things they enjoy while you focus on yourself.
Whether you wait until the kids are asleep, schedule some much needed time off, or skip out of the office on your lunch break, you NEED to speed time alone. Me time should never be looked at as something selfish, but more of a necessity. With it… you feel happy, complete, and encouraged about life, which in a nutshell helps you to be a better person.
