Making Time for Mom

I am horrible at making time for myself. There are a few things that often keep me from having alone time – I’m a bit of a control freak and a homebody, and I hate missing out on family time. This can be a problem when I’m clocking a zillion hours of time with the kids and zero hours on my own. I know it’s healthy for me to have time apart, but I only realize this after my husband has convinced me to pry myself away from the family. Only then do I see that everything is fine when I’m gone and the kids have a grand ‘ole time with Dad. So, if you’re anything like me, how do you make mom time more than something you simply dream about? Start here.

Commit to Something

Volunteer at school, join a committee, find a book club, or plan a regular girls’ night out. When it’s in the calendar and people are counting on you, there’s less chance of you backing out. You will find yourself looking forward to these events and benefitting from some well-deserved adult or girl time. It may be physically tough to pull yourself away from your children, especially if they are very young, but it will become easier for everyone involved after the first few times.

Make Time for Exercise

You can’t be at your best when you’re out of shape and lacking energy. You may feel like you have nothing left for exercise, but like my mom always says, energy begets energy. Even if you only take a little time for stretching or yoga when you wake up, a brisk walk around the neighbourhood in the evenings, or a few squats while watching your favourite show, it will do wonders for your disposition.

Discover a Special Interest

What do you love to do? What makes you feel good about yourself? It could be a hobby such as making crafts or having your own blog, or if you are a stay-at-home mom, it could be doing some part-time work that you are passionate about. Whatever it is, make time for it because it’s a reflection of who you are and a connection to your past self – before kids.

Making time for mom is vital to preserving a sense of your true self, having more patience and energy for your family and remembering why you had children in the first place – to make life that much more special.

More Time Moms Family Organizers and Calendars feature handy stickers for mom, too. Use them to block off time for girls’ night out, book club, exercise classes, spa days and more! Show the family that you deserve time just for mom.

By Kristen Wint