Me Time | Mothers Need Time-Outs,Too
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Co-Authors
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You can start today, by taking it one small step at a time. Here are the top ten tips for taking time outs, gathered from mothers all across America.
Top Ten Tips from the Trenches
1. Steal Five Minutes – wherever you are! The next time you have five free minutes, grab it and do nothing. Get to a meeting early and sit quietly; try to forget that extra load of laundry; take a short walk; breathe deeply; pause. Being still allows you to reconnect with your instincts
2. Delegate… and Appreciate Let your kids make their own beds, and be OK with how they do it! If your husband makes dinner, don’t complain about the burnt hot dogs, but show gratitude. Give yourself a break by letting others help you
3. Your Health Matters Like clockwork, you take your kids for their annual checkups, to the dentist and to specialists, but over 50% of moms we talked to said they miss mammograms, doctor’s appointments and dental checkups for themselves! Make a master list on the computer of all your checkups, specialists’ names and numbers and dates for visits and then no slacking off allowed… Your mental and physical health is a priority
4. Sex is IN; Headaches are OUT! Commit to saying yes to your partner more often: Increasing frequency of sex from once a month to once a week improves happiness as much as getting a raise of $50,000 a year, according to a 2004 study in the National Bureau of Economics Research Working Papers. Intimacy with a loved one makes us come alive!
5. Curiosity—It’s KEY Pick up that magazine or newspaper in the corner and actually read an article! Get down to your kid’s eye level and listen to their stories. If you loved old movies as a kid, skip dinner out with your husband and head over to the local community theatre instead. Plug into the world around you to stay energized
6. Just Say No! Decide on your priorities and stick to them; you are in charge of your own calendar. Be prepared with a reason: “Sorry, I’ve already committed to something for my child/ my boss/ my family, maybe next time,” and then, be firm! Be proactive, not reactive
7. Strip Down to the Basics Try a spending embargo: Don’t re-stock your fridge for two weeks to clear out your pantry; re-use or inherit instead of buying something new; discard old clothing when you buy new. Clutter feels bad: simplicity feels better
8. Walk Don’t Run Slow down so you enjoy the scenery. If you usually take a shower, try taking a bath. If you’re always late, cut something out of your day so you’re early instead. Have a conversation instead of e-mail.Taking life more slowly is a conscious choice
9. A Blast from the Past What did you love doing as a kid? Eating ice cream? Running in the rain? Drawing? Figure out what you used to love, and invite it back into your life.Connect with what makes you tick
10. Shake Things Up! Wear three inch high pink stilettos. Go on a motorbike. Ride on a rollercoaster. Play a prank on a friend. Laughter always feels great.
9. June 2009 at 8:23 pm :
[...] Mother’s Need Time-Outs Too – Tips from the Trenches [...]
21. August 2009 at 7:19 pm :
I agree, we so need time to ouselves or we feel as if we could explode. My best metime recently was a present a friend bought me. It was full of fantastic soap goodies. To have a quiet soak all to myself, was wonderful. She got it from http://www.metimegifts.co.uk