Making Time For Yourself

As a mother, it can be hard to make time for yourself. I am as guilty of this as anyone else. A few months ago, I had committed myself to several projects, along with moving, and taking care of my 3 kids. We were living in chaos because most of our things were not unpacked. I was barely eating because I didn’t have time, and my baby was taking most of her naps in her carrier because I didn’t have time to stop and get her to sleep. As you may know if you have children, your parenting is not at its best when you are tired and under stress. I have been making an effort over the last several weeks to take a few things off my to-do list and finish up some projects so that I am not quite so busy. It feels nice to be able to breathe a little and get back to a more normal life, not to mention getting more of our things out of boxes. I would like to share a few of the strategies that I use to make a little time for myself, when I haven’t gone crazy and overcommitted myself.

A great way to relax and de-stress, if you can find someone to watch your kids for a little while, is to take a bubble bath. This hasn’t happened in a while for me, but when I can fit it in (I think the last time I had a cold, so my husband felt sorry for me), it is soothing to spend quiet time with some scented bubbles and a good book. At our house, the only bathtub is in the kid’s bathroom, so I also get the company of some rubber duckies, and squirt toys.

Another good way to relieve some stress is exercise. If I am having a frustrating day, a kickboxing workout helps me feel better. Since I am usually home with my kids, they help me. This has the added benefit of showing them how important exercise is to a healthy lifestyle. My 2 year old loves to get out my yoga mat and weights and my 5 year old runs the remote for the DVD player.

Sometimes, just spending a few minutes in the pantry eating some expensive chocolate that I keep on an upper shelf gives me a mental break so that I can be calmer with my kids and do everything that needs to be done.

Another good way to get some time for yourself is to join a group such as MOPS, or at least go out with friends occasionally so you can spend some time with people that are going through a similar time in their life.

I know that both mothers that stay home, and those that work, as well as those that work from home, all struggle to find time for themselves in the middle of everything that needs to be done. Being a mother is a 24 hour a day job. Finding small ways to de-stress and recharge yourself are crucial to keeping your sanity.

About This Blogger

Kaitlyn Sexton

I was born in a small town (less than 2,000 people small, thought I would clarify since I have heard some people refer to 30,00 as a small town and there’s a big difference) in southern Michigan. I grew up on the farm my family has owned since the mid-1800s. My grandparents lived across the road from us. I love books and learning so I have taken a college class on about every subject there is, and I just got my own library in our new house. I also enjoy baking and sewing. My husband farms too, and we just moved into a farmhouse we have been remodeling for the last year. It turns out his parents went to school with my dad and our grandfather’s were friends. In a small town, everyone knows or is related to everyone else. We have 3 kids- a 5 year old boy, a 2 year old boy, and a 4 month old girl. I am homeschooling our oldest, although with his love for numbers, I often think he is teaching me. I recently completed my pre/postnatal fitness specialist certification and I am working on completing my personal trainer certification. I also sell baked goods and children’s clothes from home, when I am not refilling sippy cups of milk while wearing the baby in her carrier.