Me Time

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”  I Peter 5:7

It’s no secret that motherhood is one of the hardest, yet most rewarding, jobs ever. Between taking care of our husbands and children, cooking, cleaning and doing the laundry, it is easy to neglect ourselves. In fact, many mothers find it extremely difficult to make time for themselves. Personally, this has been a huge struggle for me.

There were times during my first couple of years as a mother, I neglected myself because I thought that was what good mothers did.  I felt my sole purpose as a wife and mom was to please my husband and take care of my family. As a result, I was always frustrated, often feeling as though I was serving a life sentence with no parole. I found myself in a very unhappy and unfruitful place. I was grumpy, irritable and at times down right mean. Many days, I didn’t think I could continue being a stay-at-home mom. I knew something had to change.  One day, after speaking with the first lady of my church, I realized I needed to start taking care of myself. I needed time alone to process my thoughts. I needed to feel like a person again and not a machine or someone’s maid. Simply put I needed “me time.”

In the past six years, I’ve grown to understand the importance of taking breaks and scheduling “me time.” I use to view this as a mere want. I quickly realized it is a need. My family needs me to be healthy; spiritually, physically and emotionally. It is in the best interest of my family that I take care of myself so that I am able to properly care for them.

Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood. Maybe you feel as though you are at your breaking point. May I suggest that you simply need to schedule some “me time” for yourself. Yes, you have to schedule it! If not, you can easily fall into the trap of becoming so busy until you forget about yourself. If you’re married, don’t wait for your husband to suggest you take time away from the children. You could be waiting for a while. Even the best husbands don’t fully understand the challenges a mother faces. This is especially true for stay-at-home moms. If you are not careful, you will find yourself resenting your husband because you think he’s being insensitive. When he really isn’t. I’ve learned to respectfully go to my husband and tell him, in advance, when I would like to take a break or get out of the house. For example, every night after dinner, my husband watches the children and I take a break for an hour. My husband and I agreed on this time and he knows what is expected of him. Remember, scheduling is key!

During your “me time,” you should focus on doing something that relaxes and replenishes you. I like to keep it simple. When my children are napping, during the day, I spend time alone with God, praying, reading and meditating on his word. I’m always amazed at God’s ability to do so much in such a small amount of time. My time with Him is so precious. Most nights, I watch HGTV. I love the show, “Fixer Upper.” I have to admit, scheduling time away from home is still very challenging for me. I think it is because I am naturally a home body. Hanging out is something I prefer to do occasionally and sometimes my budget doesn’t allow me to shop as often as I would like. However, I’m learning to schedule little coffee outings here and there. My point is, always do something you enjoy.

I cannot stress how essential “me time” is to being a good mother. Although, a mother’s first and most important job is being a good homemaker, taking care of herself is a huge part of properly caring for her family. My prayer today is that God will give us, mommies, the wisdom to take care ourselves.

“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”  Psalm 5:12