6 Hacks to Find (Time For) Yourself amidst The Mommy Madness

Oprah Winfrey said it best, “Motherhood is the toughest job in the world.” It is rewarding just as much, as it is tough! With the endless ‘Mommy -Has-To-Do’ chores, I have realized that the need to saving yourself some ‘Me time’ is imperative.

After a day full of mommy chores, I am too tired to do anything for myself! Other than putting my PJ’s on and falling asleep, knowing that tomorrow will be the same as today!

There was a time when the idea of ‘Me Time’ came loaded with – guilt first and then social and patriarchal criticism! But today with moms doubling up as homemakers and professionals, they are getting burned out faster and earlier. Proof? The other day I came across the Real Mother’s Heard Survey by Baby Dove that claimed –  7 out of 10 mothers feel they do not have enough time for themselves while 62% Indian mothers miss their old life! Well, I couldn’t agree more.

So the big question is: How long can we continue to put our needs as last priority before we completely burn out?

Not long, I’ve realized!

Don’t misunderstand me: I love my kids. With every single fiber of my being. But I also know that this “me” time for mommy is crucial when it comes to constructive motherhood. If I don’t get those couple of minutes to myself during the week, I will do a bad job of motherhood!

My son was just about 11 months old when I took a ‘Girls Only Trip.’ Not only did it save my sanity, it reinstated the fact that there is a part of me that is not a mom, is not a wife but is me! I came back rejuvenated and realized that my child was fine without me. So now I don’t wait for days till I am on the verge of a total meltdown to take some time out. I have decided that personal space is a must. It is a priority for myself, my sanity and my family. 

So here are some quick easy hacks to save your sanity and reserve some time for yourself amidst all the mommy madness…

HACK #1: Run Errands Alone

I enjoy this. It’s kind of like a mini vacation. Strange? Maybe. But True? Yes! While this might not excite everyone, I enjoy doing this otherwise cumbersome chores alone, that would take five times as long with little ones in tow! Even the simplest of activities or errands can be a helpful breather.
And you know what? I try to swing by at my favourite coffee shop to pick up a coffee on the way home too. Whoever is watching my kids can certainly spare an additional few minutes, can’t they?!

HACK #2: Start A Low Key Hobby

So while I know there is so much of cooking, car-pooling, home organizing that is happening, I have realized that pursuing a hobby gives me some quiet time to myself. I can’t take out loads of money or time for this one, but I have recently taken to photography.
All I need is my NIKON and I take off on a Sunday morning. I let the husband bond with the kids. All I need is an hour to myself. Then we meet at the park and come home together.

This, helps me clear my head! And guess what, it’s my photographs that opened the world of BabyChakra to me. So you see, your hobby might just manifest into greater opportunities for you!

HACK 3#: Put The Older Kids In-charge of the Younger Ones

Oh this is so much fun and so easy to achieve. Leave them together. It is totally worth it. I have a little blackboard in the playroom. The older one teaches and the younger one learns, the older one reads and the younger one listens. This helps for short spells during the day but it’s enough for me to catch up with a friend, read a book or indulge in some beauty treatments.

I managed to finish Harry Potter, chapter by chapter, during this exclusive ‘me time’!

HACK #4: Crawl Back Into Bed!

This is the best; you will want to make a habit of it!
So once the house is empty, shut your eyes to the chores for a while, cuddle into the blanket and take a quick nap. After all you were the first one to rise!

It is absolutely fine to do this. Your system needs rest, so don’t give in to fatigue.

HACK #5: The Clichéd But Ever Popular: Meet Your Friends

This can be difficult specially if you are a working mom and have to attend to a zillion things. So, while I understand this is difficult to do, trust me, you need the laughter and the gossip too!  There is something therapeutic about it all.

It does need some scheduling, juggling schedules and tugging desires to take a rain-check! But do it nonetheless! Trust me, mommy meet up shenanigans will take you to a world that you forgot, even existed!

HACK #6: Connect Online

This is the life support for many today. It’s convenient. It is on your fingertips and you have absolutely no idea how many girls out there are sailing in your boat! There is no better place to be you and to be by yourself by interacting and connecting with friends on social media or online mommy platforms. BabyChakra being my most trusted 😉

This is flexible, informative, non-intrusive to your schedule, inexpensive and yet, allows you to be by yourself in a group of like-minded people sharing and, caring!

That said, I would like to encourage all mommies to trust their instincts and find the best way to balance their mommy duties with much needed ‘me time.’ After all there is no right or wrong way of being a mother, only your way! So, like Baby Dove believes – trust your way and have the confidence that you know what is the best for you and your baby.

To know more about Baby Dove, click here.  

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