Being a mother is the most difficult job and when Oprah said “Motherhood is the toughest job in the world”, we agree. Every mother will feel this. You are not fixed for a certain time period. There is no ending to this job. You do it day and night. This job is you. You are the most essential part of it and no one can take your place. Hence, this you cannot escape.
Image source – Mommy moment
But you have to put aside few hours of the day for yourself. If you aren’t happy, your children can never be. You have to take time out to rebuild the energy within yourself before you can pour it for your children.
It is no sin to do so. It is definitely NOT “selfish”. You have to take time to refuel yourself and renew consistently. More than self-indulgent, it is self-preservation. You have to slow down and relax for some time in a day or for few hours in a week purely dedicated for the sole purpose of re-energising yourself.
This “ME time” is very important and should be spent well. Don’t make it something that has to be properly planned out. DO NOT make a plan if you don’t feel like doing so. Some people like to take things easy and some like to pre-plan it. You can do it your way.
Here are some things you can indulge in.
- Write your heart out.
It can be a diary or just points you need to write down to clear your head or poetry or stories if you have the taste for it.
- Try your hands on the art or craft you love.
You can doodle your time away or even create any sort of craft that you have an interest for.
- Take a walk or go for a run.
Put aside some time in the day. It can be early morning or evenings. Sweat it out and you will feel refreshed.
- Exercise or try yoga.
You can join classes near your home or even work it out yourself at home with the help of plenty videos available online.
- Go for a drive or a ride.
If you drive or ride, take some time out and move around the city. Take your favourite music along.
- Go for a swim.
If you are a water baby, you may take a good swim whenever you get the time to do so. Spend some pool time once a week or whenever you get time.
- Window shop/ online shopping
It’s a known therapy for some. If you are that person, shopping is always a getaway.
- Try a new recipe.
If you are a woman with the magical hands for food or even if you just want to try it for the sake of creating, you can try something new in kitchen.
- Get a massage/pedicure etc.
If you need to really relax and don’t want to do much work, you can book a spa or a pedicure session to just sit and enjoy the therapy while you flip your book pages.
- Go to the movies alone or with someone.
How often can you spend 2-3 hours straight without having to deal with your children? So, when you take the time out, book for a movie and enjoy your time through it.
- Catch up with your friends.
Its not the “Sex and the city” life. You cannot make time every day. Try to make time and reconnect with your friends. Plan for a good brunch or just simple gathering at one’s home.
- Watch something at home.
Put on some good movie at home if you don’t feel like going out. It is never a wrong decision. Catch up with your favorite series or slide in a good movie.
- Connect with nature.
If nature is somewhere you feel the most relaxed than take a walk around nature. You can bring home some flowers too.
- Pull out some old memories.
It must have been a while you relished into some old memories. You can pull out your old photo albums or old songs you want to listen to and get lost away in time.
- Take a nap.
It is perfectly alright to do nothing in your free time if you don’t feel like. Taking pressure to do something with your time will only make it go away faster and leave you with nothing. You can take a nap when you finally get the time. As they say “When all else fails, take a nap”.
You are a mother but you are first a human being. If you do not invest in yourselves, you will ultimately fail to offer happiness to the people you love. You don’t have to plan every single thing to do with your “ME time”. You just have to do what is best for yourself.
