Down Time for Mom

Before I had kids, every Saturday I’d leave my husband happily hammering away in his workshop and take off for some time to myself. I’d usually go shopping, stop by the library, then head to my favorite cafÃ?© where I’d relax in a comfy chair with a rich, steaming lattÃ?© and write in my journal. After my son was born, weekdays were spent working and caring for him and weekends were spent catching up on housework. I didn’t want to go out by myself, because I believed that every minute not spent at work should be spent with my baby. After a few months I felt overwhelmed and stressed. One Saturday as the baby was napping my husband encouraged me to get out of the house for a while. I did, and it felt fantastic. It was then that I realized that I needed my Saturday jaunts for my own sense of well being.

While juggling our work and home lives, too often we moms neglect to make time for ourselves. On the job, we strive to stay on top of our duties. At home, we devote all our energy to keeping our families healthy, comfortable and content. Unfortunately, maintaining this hectic schedule day after day can lead to stress and burnout.

Making time for relaxing activities is necessary to our health and well being. Relaxation is an important method of relieving stress, which, according to the American Institute of Stress, can contribute to hypertension, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, ulcers, neck or low back pain. A little down time can also help keep us motivated and content in all areas of our lives.

Some moms carve relaxation time into their day by getting up a bit earlier or staying up later. Others might ask a friend to watch the kids for a couple of hours and offer to do the same for her. Some women leave the little ones with their husbands, which has the added benefit of providing bonding time between dad and the kids.

By making time for ourselves we acknowledge that we are multifaceted individuals with a variety of interests. We assert that our needs are important and we deserve some pampering. Remember, we need to take care of ourselves so we can continue to take care of the ones we love.

Here are a few suggestions for making time for yourself. Use these to get you started, then add your own ideas to the list.

1. Have a cup of coffee and a cookie and browse through a magazine.

2. Take the dog for a long walk.

3. Rent a movie and watch it.

4. Get a massage.

5. Meet a friend for lunch or shopping.

6. Learn to do something new. Take a course in quilting, painting, tennis, pastry cooking or anything else that interests you.

7. Sink into a hot bath with a cool drink and a good book.

8. Make a list of all the things you would like to do. Mine includes baking a strawberry pie and horseback riding. Now go do a few of the things on your list.

9. Write in a journal. Sometimes writing about a difficult situation can ease the stress.

10. Go to a play, concert or ballet.