Celebrating Mothers, Part 1: Finding more me time

With Mother’s Day approaching this Sunday, it made me really stop and think about all the wonderful things mothers do─tidy the house, pay the bills, chauffer kids around, nurse wounds, help with homework, read stories, invent games, play chef, rub backs, empathize, guide, love and tons more─all while often holding down a paid job to boot! As a mother on the go-go-go, I know first-hand how easy it is to give-give-give, and forget to make time for you. This week, dedicated to mothers everywhere, I share my favorite tips for creating a sanctuary of time:

Schedule “me time”: this suggestion is sometimes met with blank stares, but I’m telling you, it works! Just like you schedule play dates for your kids, doctor appointments, meetings and such, block out at least 20 minutes on your daily schedule to spend only on you. It can be before the family wakes up or during a lunch break, or before bed. And no, drive time to pick up the kids does not count. This is scheduled time to repair, refresh and honor your needs so you can replenish your energy to do all you do for your family. It can be anything, as long as it is dedicated time for you! For instance, I like to schedule walks after I drop off Zoe at school. It clears my head, prepares me for the day and keeps me healthy.  By scheduling the walks, I am making time for something important to me. I am committing. It is extraordinarily easy to let your time get nibbled away by all the responsibilities of the day, or to pretend that you’ll get to it…later. But by committing to a specific “me time” each day, you are taking care of yourself, and as an amazing byproduct, improving your ability to take care of others as well.