This morning I got up for the school run at 6.50am as usual, having been awake since 6.20am for fear of oversleeping. I made breakfast for No 1 Son, fed the dog and the cat, and once the offspring was safely on his way, I decided to go back to bed, under my lovely warm duvet.
I closed my eyes, and tried to get back to sleep. But my mind kept churning with all the chores/work I needed to get done today. And the more I thought about all those things, the more I realised I needed to get up and start doing them.
I’ve realised that the only way I can really treat myself to ‘Me Time’ is by getting away from it all. On breaks with my friends, or press trips – for me it really has to be ‘out of sight, out of mind’ (although obviously No 1 Son is never out of my mind). But when I’m here, at home, I need to be a Mum, to do all the things that go with being a Mum. It’s just not possible to stop, or switch off. I have to be 100% responsible, 100% of the time.
What about you – do you find it difficult to get Me Time, and have you ever taken a duvet day? I’d love to know.
I try hard to make Fridays my ‘day off’ as I work freelance… its always nearly impossible and I have to FORCE myself to sit down. Even as I’m typing this, my eldest is talking non-stop in one ear, my youngest is playing a loud computer game in the other and the 3rd one is moaning about not going to trampolining. I just wanted 10 minutes to disappear into blogland… aaarrgghh!!!
It is difficult to switch off. It’s definitely a full time job isn’t it. My daughter is a little younger so perhaps it’s a little different here, but we have a strict rule that states I go downstairs and have some me-time at 8pm each evening. It’s worked for the past year but now she’s starting to settling later and my evening is getting shorter. *sigh*
Its really not that difficult, most of the stuff one needs to do is self created. The world won’t stop if you don’t. Most if the mess is only what you perceive as needing doing.
As a mum of 5 with a career I often had duvet days or I’d not survive.
One can always make time for a duvet half hour, stop being a slave to your family, ignore the medias perfect mummy image and do what suits you and your family.
The only person piling the guilt on is oneself, my hubby would rather come home to a relaxed wife and kids as opposed to a stressed out one.