“How We Do It” – Making Time for Yourself

By Jenny & Tracy
Get up … get the family ready … go to work all day … pick up from school … rush to get dinner on the table … enjoy some quality family time … bath, books, bed … and WHEW! Then it’s time for dishes, laundry, etc. So when do we find time for ourselves??? Because we all strive to be good at everything we do, we often forget about taking care of ourselves. That is topic number 3 in our “How We Do It” series.

Tracy Says:

The time I spend with my family is undoubtedly very special and important to me. However, I know that if I don’t also find time for myself – either alone or with girlfriends – that has a huge impact on my overall sense of self and well-being. So I try very hard to find these nuggets of time and make the most of them. It also gives my son and husband quality one on one time to spend together … so really, it’s a win/win for everyone!

Unfortunately, I have found that I am much more selective now in the things I do. My weekday evening activities are fairly limited, but there are a few I put on the calendar and make a priority … and more importantly, my husband also respects those as important to me and never objects to “Jake-duty” on those evenings. I try and do one monthly neighborhood girl’s night and a monthly supper club. I also use my lunch time for catching up with friends so I don’t impede on family time in the evenings.

I still have yet to find a way to make time for exercise??? Yes – I try to get some cardio in by chasing after Jake on his bike, or a brisk walk through the mall but the reality unfortunately is that that’s the one thing I really miss! Ok … maybe I don’t really miss it, but I know its something I should make a better effort to incorporate into my life. I tried taking the stairs every day in my parking deck, but that only lasted a couple months!

Jenny Says:

I have a tendency to feel guilty for taking time for myself. Like Tracy, I have become more selective. I take my girls on walks with me so that I can get exercise. I try to meet my girlfriends at the pool or park so that I can see my friends and be with the girls. My time with Zoe and Annie is so precious that I want to make every minute count. My husband often reminds me to take time for myself. He knows that when given the choice, I choose to be with the kids over friends or just myself. He encourages me to get in my “girl time.” I find that after taking the time, I am more engaged with my children and we have more fun. So we can’t feel guilty for thinking about ourselves every once in while. In the end, our families will appreciate our refreshed state of mind for having done so. We also need to remember the importance of taking care of ourselves. Jen P. wrote about this in earlier posts, but we aren’t doing our families any good if we are not taking care of ourselves. Every mom (whether stay at home or working) should try to put herself first or at least second every once in awhile, don’t you think?

So, you know the drill – share your thoughts on this topic and let us know how you find time for yourself in the midst of our busy, busy lives!

And if you haven’t seen them already, check out our previous posts in this series on Redefining Your Priorities and Managing Flexibility at Work!