I am going to level with you all. I love to take time away from my family. Everyday. Don’t get me wrong. I love my family with all of my heart and soul. However, I have discovered over time, that I need time away. It is necessary for my sanity. Literally. Each day, I look to find time away in order to gain my sanity and reunite with my adult self. Time away can be as little as 30 minutes, and as long as 1 to 2 hours.
Before I became a wife, and before I had children, life was simpler. I say that because I am viewing it from the other side of non-stop movement. The days where I had to wake myself up, get myself ready, and out of the door and off to work. Then work 10-12 hours (depending on the time of the month – gotta love finance), then to leisurely come home and figure out what I would eat for dinner, and settle in for the night with whatever show I wanted to watch. Sometimes my boyfriend would be over, and it would be him and I watching our shows. I didn’t have to plan anything day to day, with the exception of where we were going out over the weekend. Going out for dinner, going out for drinks, going out with friends, clubbing, bars, whatever. Everything could be last minute.
My time did not become limited until I had my first child. Everything came under time scrutiny – my commute to/from work (as I was commuting into Manhattan), how much time I had to see my child, meal planning and meal prepping since I was commuting and was tired when I came home from work. (Or I turned to the infamous take-out. I loved the take-out. I still do love the take-out, but don’t frequent it as much).
Then, we decided to have a second child. So, basically, multiply everything I stated above by 2, and this is where the challenge became apparent to me. Caring for two children, caring for a husband, running the upkeep of the household (cleaning, laundry, plumbing, maintenance), working at a full-time job, being a family event planner, scheduling play dates, scheduling entertainment in advance (such as summer camp, mini vacations), paying bills, saving, this list can go on forever.
Do you notice something? Did I mention anywhere above where I took time to care for myself? Do I talk about scheduling appointments for my upkeep and my mental sanity? No. And you know what? This all came to a head a few years ago. I was so burnt out that I literally blurted out to my husband that I was going away to Miami BY MYSELF for a long weekend. (Caps are used because that is literally how I expressed my statement to him).
It was the first thing I had done for myself in quite a long time. So long that I don’t even remember doing anything to preserve my mental sanity prior to that winter day that I declared I was leaving everyone and everything to rejuvenate myself.
I say all of this to tell you that it is important for you to take time out for yourself, even if it is a little as five minutes. You have to maintain your mental sanity. Without it, how can you give your best and your all to your family? Take some time. Close yourself in your room and sit in silence for five minutes. This article was born as a result of a post that I read in a FB group where a fellow mom took a picture of herself locked in the bathroom with a package of cookies to get her own time away from her very active house.
Sometimes I find my out by going shopping without kids or the husband – with Starbucks in hand, of course. That first sip when the barista makes your drink JUST right? It feels like the most calming breeze that blows over you while you are sitting and watching the beach waves break against the seashore. It feels like a calming sensation, which runs down every inch of your body as the liquid easily slides down your throat. Sorry. I just felt that same sensation as I was typing it.
Always schedule some time in every day to have peace and tranquility for yourself. It can help ease the non-stop action of being a Mom.
Tell me what ways you are able to take some time away from the family. I would love to hear it!
