WAHM: Manage to Find Time

Here's another good article about making time for yourself. This one is from Cheryl, a WAHM with two kids and stellar time-management skills. Thanks, Cheryl!

Like most WAHMs, I spend my days mostly doing things for other people. My kids need this, my boss needs that, business travel here and there… it would be easy to short-change time for myself. But I know that if I don’t take care of myself I can’t be fully present for my kids or my work (or myself), so I make it a priority to take at least a little bit of “me time” every day.

When I began working from home three years ago, I gained somewhere between 8 and 10 hours a week of productivity just by eliminating my commute. Now I use that time before the rest of corporate America clocks in, for myself.

I run (well, mostly walk) a few miles and try to clear my head for the day ahead. I pray or think through issues with the kids or work. It’s a wonderful quiet time completely on my own.

I read every night before I go to sleep. My only bedtime rule is that the reading material is purely entertainment. No daily devotions, heavy biographies, or professional development. I want to get lost in the characters and settings of some wonderfully written novel. This, to me, is heaven and has been my joy since I was very young.

I’ve found that “me time” doesn’t have to mean “just me”. My kids are old enough to stay home without a babysitter, which frees me to get together most Saturday mornings at the coffee shop with a handful of friends, to share burdens or blessings, and to build each other up. I also belong to a bible study group, and I frequently call my sister just to catch up.

We’re all busy, and some days are easier than others. But if you’re committed to taking care of yourself, here are my Top Three Tips to help you do that:

• Get organized. You’ll feel better and you won’t waste time hunting for keys or shoes or cell-phones if you put things away. Keep up with a household routine, and start early teaching the kids how to pitch in and pick up after themselves.

• Be a good manager. Chances are you're in charge of the household schedule. So manage it. Be realistic about your commitments. How long does it take you to grocery shop or give a two-year-old a bath? The kids have t-ball and ballet tonight. Do you really have time to make brownies for the bake sale?

• Keep looking. If you think you can’t find time for yourself, maybe you’re not looking in the right place. You matter as much as anyone else in your life. If you have so much on your plate that there’s no room for you, something else needs to come off.

Cheryl


Sally Bacchetta - Freelance Writer
Freelance Writer
Parenting
Motherhood