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The following is a sponsored post.
Whether you are a homeschooling mom or one with children who attend a traditional school, I have no doubt that your life is insanely busy with a full schedule. And in addition to being moms, we are so many other things to so many other people. We are also wives, daughters, sisters, or friends – sometimes all of these. We’re active in the PTA, at church, and maybe our local non-profits. We go to work or run businesses out of our home. We teach classes, run fundraisers, work out, and go to school functions.
When Blue Bunny asked me to write about this topic, I said yes. I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while now because I have friends and people who write and ask me: Do you ever take time for yourself? The short answer is: YES.
Otherwise, I’d go nuts.
I need time to decompress and just be me without having to answer to anyone else. I need time to just think about things I love…or not think at all. And I believe it is important for all of us to take the time to do so. I know that it makes me a happier person and a more relaxed mom (and probably an easier to get along with wife). But how do you carve out time when your schedule is jam-packed?
Here are three ways I make time for myself.
Lunchtime Is My Time
Otherwise, I’d go nuts.
I need time to decompress and just be me without having to answer to anyone else. I need time to just think about things I love…or not think at all. And I believe it is important for all of us to take the time to do so. I know that it makes me a happier person and a more relaxed mom (and probably an easier to get along with wife). But how do you carve out time when your schedule is jam-packed?
Here are three ways I make time for myself.
Lunchtime Is My Time
As a homeschooling mom, I have to establish boundaries and the first thing that I do every day is make lunchtime my "me" time. After I make my kids lunch, I take my own food and head to my office. When I am eating at my desk, my kids aren’t allowed to bother me. They have to hold their questions until after lunch, or go ask their dad. I use the time to catch up on emails, revel in Pinterest, or read. In between picking crumbs out of my keyboard, that is.
Nighttime Is Quiet Time
Nighttime Is Quiet Time
At night, after everyone else has gone to bed, I usually work, but sometimes on the weekends, I just sit and relax with ice cream (in the summer) or hot chocolate (in the winter). This is the time I get to spend creating printables, reading, or even watching episodes of Downton Abbey. Sometimes I just sit and listen to…nothing! The sound of silence in this noisy house is blissful. (Or at least it is as long as I know that everyone is safe and sound in their beds. Silence in the daytime makes me suspicious or nervous!)
Mom’s Night Out
And lastly, once a month (or less frequently), I meet the other homeschooling moms in my group for a mom's night out with dinner at our local Italian restaurant. This is actually my favorite me time because my husband watches and feeds the kids, while I enjoy the evening talking with girlfriends and eating yummy food. Who can beat that? This usually takes a little more preparation on my part since my husband doesn’t cook much, so I usually leave a complete meal in the crock pot to make it easier on everyone.
I wonder, how do you find time just for yourself?
I want to thank Blue Bunny Ice Cream for inviting me to write this post and the samples of ice cream they sent my family. After spending the afternoon engaged in a scientific study (hooray for dry ice!), we gobbled down some of their Sweet Freedom Krunch Lites. The chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream has no sugar added, which is very important to me.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated for it and even got some free ice cream!! All thoughts and opinions, though, that are shared in the post above are completely my own.