Do you ever feel like you just want to hide for a few hours and not have to “parent”. Like you’re just at breaking point and need a little time out? Being a mum is hard work! It’s totally selfless and non-stop. But all of us mums need to band together and make sure we take the time to look after ourselves! I actually don’t know how I would survive being a mum to my young kids without having “me time”! When was the last time you had some real Mum “me time”?

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my kids to pieces, but I’ve now pretty much been a full-time mum for just over 3 years, and at times it is relentless and bloody draining! I feel like I constantly have someone hanging off me, wanting something from me… Sometimes, all I need is a little time out.

Ok so the question some of you might be asking now is when you factor in all the important things we need to do in our daily lives, how on earth do we find time for “me time”?

As I sit here writing this, my hubby has been away during the week for work, he came back for a day and then went off for a two night boys’ getaway (which he totally deserved as he is an incredible dad and seriously hard worker). But more than anything right now, I feel like I need some “me time”. I can’t tell you how many loads of washing I have done in the past week, how many meals I’ve had to decide on (yes, I hate making decisions) and cook, dishes I’ve cleaned, grocery shopping I’ve done, bins I’ve emptied, nappies I’ve changed, bums I’ve wiped, the list goes on and on. So, my hubby literally walked in from his boys’ getaway and has taken the kids out for a few hours to give me some much needed and much deserved “me time”. So far, I have been for a nice stress free walk with Cooper, great for clearing my head as no winging kids is an absolute treat these days! I’m about to have a long, uninterrupted shower and then go for a beautiful one hour Thai massage! Oh my gosh – I am pumped!! It’s literally like a recharge of my batteries before Monday hits tomorrow and it’s back to full on mum duties.

For me, I have an amazing husband, who really allows me to have this time because he knows how much I need it to be the best mum and wife I can be. It’s so hard to find balance in life these days in our busy fast paced worlds. As Jase works Monday-Friday, he really misses out on the time with the kids during the week. As a result, he often gives me Saturday mornings to myself. Whether it’s to just get out and do a Pilates class, walk the dog on my own, go on a little shopping spree, whatever it is, it’s just some time to myself. I love it and I need it. Jase loves it too, because it gives him that one-on-one time with the kids that he loves and they love, so really, it’s a win win for all.

So, my advice is, no matter how busy life gets, take some time out! Speak to your partner (communication is key), or if you’re a single mum/dad, speak to a parent, friend or even a babysitter, ask for help. Stop being a total control freak. Lock in that time to yourself. You need it and you deserve it! It is obviously a little challenging in the early days when you’re breastfeeding, because you always feel like you’re on the clock, but 1-2 hours to yourself between feeds is still better than nothing. I also have a little rule with myself that my friends often laugh at me about but they totally know it’s the best rule ever! If I’m going to take “me time” on the weekends when my hubby is around, I always try to do it while the kids are awake! What’s the point of having a relaxing massage whilst they sleep? If you do it while they’re awake, it’s that much more relaxing because you know that you’re not the one having to deal with them. Plus, it just means that when they are asleep, I can sneak in and have some one-on-one time with my hubby!

Does anyone else have any good tricks or advice for squeezing in some “me time” in your busy schedules? Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

Mel xox

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