Mom Time, Me Time and Golden Moments of Productivity-Getcha Some

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Mommy Time… Got any?

Anyone who knows parenthood knows that finding extra time for yourself can be a covert Navy-Seals-like-action with a “difficulty rating” of eleven. Many moms are under the notion that, if they do take time for themselves, it means they are a disconnected mom who isn’t doing her best to “be there” for her kids. There is a ginormous pressure to be the Perfect Mom and raise Perfect Kids.

When we as Mom’s cave to this pressure to be “perfect,” we’re actually shooting ourselves in the foot. Why? Because this line of thinking feeds a never-ending cycle of negativity and squashes who we are naturally. No wonder so many mothers turn to unhealthy means of self-soothing {WINE….CHOCOLATE….Real Housewives of Orange County….I asked a friend…}because we feel like there are no easy answers and the everyday demands snowball until they become seemingly too big to handle.

Here is an exercise for moms to help them carve out the necessary “Me Time” every darn day.

Mom Time, Me Time and Golden Moments of Productivity

Simplify Your life: Write a list of “Things To Do Today.” Lists are mega empowering and act as an itinerary of sorts for your day creating this list allows for the flexibility of wracking your brain to remember, releases the impending doom feeling of “I must get this all done,” and allows for spontaneous moments of a rousing games of Farkle with your son or a hula hoop contest with your daughter.
Commit to the Role of Mother: When your kids are around they need to be your priority. Kids “need” and interrupt a lot because…well…they are kids! If you are putting stress on yourself to get projects done while your kids are around you will be left frustrated and angry. Discover your best times to work on a project while your wee ones are around, yet take advantage of the times when they are not (napping, at school, etc.). As a mom, you just need to have a clear state of mind to take advantage of your opportunities and optimum work times.
Nurture and Love When Your Kids are Asking for It – When they are assured and comforted when they need it they will be confident to play on their own, problem solve easier and be more self-sufficient. My three rules of motherhood are; give lots of love, have lots of patience and allow lots of time.
Tips to Be Efficient:
- House a mess? Recruit your family to help you!! Make it fun and which will give you the satisfaction of spending time with them and also give them a sense of accomplishment.
- Grocery shop and prepare food with your kids. Buying and preparing food is a Real World skill they need to be aware of no matter what their age is. Whenever possible, have them participate in meals by setting the table, cooking with you or washing dishes. When they experience what goes into food preparation they will appreciate the meals more.
- Be creative and condense activities: For example; if there is not enough time for bath and story time some nights, read to your child as they are soaking in the tub. Waiting for a doctor’s appointment or driving them to school, use that time to chat about their day and what’s on their mind.
Let Your Kids Play: Limit screen-time. It’s no secret our younger generation is turning into gamers and couch potatoes. When you give your child parameters on the amount of screen-time they have, it also forces them to play more, use their creativity and be more engaged in family activities. Kids naturally play, create and express; just give them the chance to do so and you will see them transform in front of you.
Be Flexible to Switch Gears at Any Moment – When you notice that your child is playing quietly – go take some time to work on one of your “me time” projects (your goals and dreams). I called these Golden Moments of Productivity! Even if it’s only 10-15 minutes, imagine what you can get done in that concentrated amount of time. Even if you feel like you are moving forward inches due to lack of time…it’s still forward movement towards your dreams and goals.
Stay Organized: When you are organized you can easily take advantage when the free time arises. Create effective systems for each project and keep them organized in folders or notebooks or use free services like Trello. That way, when a Golden Moment of Productivity arises, you can simply grab a folder and dive in.
Clearly Identify Goals: “A ship can’t leave the harbor without a destination.” If your goal is to write every day, know why you are writing. Is your ultimate End Game to write a book? Are you creating content for your blog (like me)? Having a visual reference of your goals helps too. Create a dream board, a Bullet Journal or invest in this to-die-for-awesome-sauce . Whatever it is, pick something that helps you detail everything you want, dream and need to achieve. Post it somewhere that will be motivational; a place you see daily to get you excited about putting the energy into achieving your dreams. {The Leonie link is an affiliate link-no biggee…it just means I get a tiny commission if you buy.}
Continue to Exercise: Always strive to be the best version of you and that includes physically. Walk daily, swim, bike or garden. Whatever floats your boat. They key is to MOVE. If this isn’t an option in your area work out a deal with a neighbor or another mom to allow an hour 3+times per week to exchange time.