As a mum it is almost second nature to put everyone else’s needs ahead of your own.
Our children (and partner in many cases) look to us as the caregiver, nurturer, cleaner, cook, cuddler, story teller, game player, driver and cheer squad. And often that’s 24/7 too.
So it’s no wonder that so many of you have told us that it feels as though you don’t get much time to yourself.
Everyone needs some time to recharge their batteries, and you are no different.
Without proper rest and relaxation, we can start to feel fatigued, resentful or just plain cranky.
So even though it may feel as though there isn’t any time that you could use for a bit of a rest, we’ve got some ways to sneak some me-time back into your life.
Shower and bath time
Often it’s just a quick 2 minute scrub in the shower if you’re lucky. And many of us have to share that 2 minutes with a toddler and their 101 plastic shower time pals.
Some mums find that they can enjoy a quality shower experience by setting the alarm to get up 15 minutes before the children do. Hopefully your partner will still be home too in case of an early wake up.
Take the time to wash your hair, enjoy some body scrub time and try to resist the urge to give the shower a quick scrub while you’re there.
What about scheduling in a bath? That might sound strange, but if you really love a good soak, it’s well worth it.
You could suggest to your partner that every Wednesday from 8pm – 8.30pm you will be in the bath and cannot be disturbed.
Take in a cup of herbal tea, some scented candles, bubble bath and a good book and just….soak.
Book a babysitter
Whether it’s your partner, neighbour, sister, mother or friend – make a regular booking with them once per week for them to come and take over the kids for an hour.
Some mums have found that this works well if they mind a friend’s kids each week and in return get their kids minded once a week.
Use the time however you choose. You might just retreat to your bedroom and read a book or have a rest.
You may prefer to get out of the house and go for a walk, go and check out that yoga class you’ve heard about, go visit a friend for a cup of tea and a chat. Whatever it is that makes you feel relaxed.
The important thing is not to feel guilty about scheduling in the time for yourself. And try to keep it as a non-negotiable time, so that you don’t end up cancelling when life gets in the way.
DIY beauty salon
Once the kids are tucked up at night it can be easy to get into the habit of flopping on the couch to watch TV.
But why not use the time more wisely and invest in some good quality home beauty products that you can use to treat yourself?
Things like face masks (you could even make your own), manicure or pedicure sets, leave in hair treatments or even just lathering on some nice moisturizer can really make you feel good.
Make a point of doing this once per week and you might find that you really look forward to your pamper evening.
Home café
If you do manage to snap up a spare 10 minutes for a well earned cup of tea or coffee, why not make it a true indulgent moment?
When you know you have time to drink it, pull out the ‘good stuff’ – this might be some nice loose leaf herbal tea, or some top quality coffee beans that you normally save for a special occasion.
Enjoy a great cuppa and it might just give you the energy to get through the rest of the day.
Take the day off
So often we try to cram as many chores as possible into the precious moments when our little ones are asleep or playing quietly.
While it’s impossible to get everything done if you don’t do this sometimes, why not say to yourself that you will have Fridays off from chores?
For instance if your little people have a rest from 1pm for an hour, take the time to do something for yourself instead of putting on a load of washing, vacuuming, mopping the floor and doing some ironing.
Even if you just relax on the couch with a magazine or your favourite TV program, it’s some time that you have taken for yourself – which is so important.
Get in touch
It’s so easy to lose touch with friends when you are running a household. But just think how good it does feel when you have a great chat to an old friend.
Why not schedule in a time each week that you give a friend a call for a catchup. Keeping our friendships strong is even more important as we get older or people move away.
Another great idea is sending cards or letters to let people know you are thinking of them. It’s much more personal than an email or a text, and it can be quite relaxing to sit down and put pen to paper.
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