This week we’ve been talking about giving ourselves permission to be a little bit selfish as moms, and as the week comes to a close I though it would be fun to share simple, small ways we all took care of ourselves this week. I’ll start:
1. I stopped.
My usual work-at-home routine is to write in the morning from the time I get the bigger kids off to school until the baby wakes up, spend the late morning/early afternoon dealing with housework/lunch/kid stuff, and then work again from when Clara goes down for her nap around 1:30 until about 4:00, when the big kids start getting home. (This is why so many of my blog posts are published right around 3:30 in the afternoon.)
But several days this week, I just ran out of steam around 3. I don’t know if it’s the cold weather (argh) or that my sleep is getting interrupted or if I’m fighting something off or what, but I just felt tired and run down, and done. (No! I’m not pregnant!) So I gave myself a break…and stopped for the day. It felt good.
2. I slept.
Twice last week I asked my husband to totally take over the morning rush so I could get an extra hour of sleep. Yes, my seven-year-old came home with his hair sticking up in every direction (“Dad was going to brush it, but I guess he forgot) wearing jeans with holes in the knees, but hey–I got to sleep until 8:45. Totally worth the embarrassment.
3. I asked for help.
This was the week of asking others to give me a break. From shifting interview appointments around because keeping the original date and time was going to cause me too much stress to pull off, to delegating more chores to family members, this week I was pretty good about getting the things I needed to get done without killing myself in the process.
How about you? What are some ways you were nice to yourself this week?
This has been a busy week! Here are some posts you might have missed:
- There’s just one day left in my giveaway of a spot in Christine Carter’s Raising Happiness class ($250 value)
- Is that pastime feeding your soul, or just passing the time?
- I wrote about my ambivalence over being “done” having babies and how sometimes, taking care of yourself means being brave enough to move on
- Check out this fantastic interview with mom of four, well known blogger, and now producer/director Stephanie Precourt
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I reorganized my craft stuff so I have a “current projects” tub easily accessible on my dresser instead of everything shoved in a closet. I love being able to grab my stuff any time I get the urge instead of it taking a long time to find the right supplies. I’m getting way more done & it’s so fun!
I’ve been reading a great book that has been helping me think more optimistically. I think that’s being nice to myself and it’s also being nice to the people around me.
I also went out and did some shopping with just my 5 month old. That was a nice little break.
I am reading Harry Potter in French. I have only gotten as far as the start of term feast, but reading a book in a language I barely know has been wonderful!! No really, I am trying to learn French, and it’s been amazing.
ok, this wasn’t last week, but the other week when making my shopping list, I wrote at the end “Something for me.” I was going to a big store that had groceries, clothes, bed and bath, kitchen, etc, so–I just got myself a new shirt. It felt great to write that on the list.
I was so tired of spending the weekends cleaning that I am on a “staycation” with the kids. Why should the tourists to Orlando have all the fun? The cost is low, the change of scenery and routine is doing wonders for me! Sometimes we feel that we need to go far away to be on vacation but I highly recommend taking time for yourself even if it means driving 45 minutes away.
My mom and grandmother are visiting. Last night we left the three month old with them and my husband and I went on a date- nice dinner and a sunset walk. And I scheduled a massage for myself! I figure our visitors are really here to see the baby and he can survive without me for an hour or two.
Yesterday I had the whole day to myself while my husband went snowboarding and the in-laws babysat. I was going to run errands and do grocery shopping, but I ended up taking a nap, doing a new project, and catching up on emails. It was quiet and relaxing, so worth it.
I spent the night at a hotel all by myself! It was AMAZING. I got to read and eat pizza in bed and I slept in as late as I wanted to.
Went to bed early enough to allow myself 8 1/2 hours of sleep each night. Upped the amount of time spent exercising. Practiced gratitude.
I love to scrap book, but find it hard to make the time… last night I had 2 of my girlfriends over, we cranked out some pages, had great conversation and a really good time.
I took a nap. After I dropped off the bigger kids at school, I laid down with the baby and we both slept. For 4 hours. Made me realize that I really need to start taking care of myself – I really needed that sleep and I didn’t even realize it.
I asked my husband to take our toddler out of the house while he ran an errand. Not an easy time for him, but 2 hrs alone in the house to prepare dinner without interruption and read was much needed.
I’m late (as always?), but this week I decided to take a pass on something that I realized I really wanted no part of. Saying ‘no’ is something I’ve had to learn to do, but it’s really incredibly liberating.
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