Where Does the Time GO?

You're awakened to the sound of a plaintive cry.  You get up to find that one of your children is sick and can't sleep.  As you sit consoling your precious treasure in the darkness of what you think is still nighttime, you hear rustling from the other room.  Your other children are waking up too.  That's when you notice the time.  It's 6am!  No!  It's too late to go back to bed.  You've lost that last hour of sleep you so desperately needed.  The kids are up and there's no looking back.  Time to start the day, however slow.

Off to the kitchen you go.  It takes a lot of effort and some strong coffee, but the kids eventually get fed and so do you.  As least you got an early start.  Maybe you can get some extra stuff done today with that "extra" hour.  You check the clock again.  9:30?!?  Where did the time go?  Now you're behind your projected schedule for the day.

You're feeling rushed and anxious.  You try to make up for it by skipping that shower you wanted ever so badly.  Now where's that shopping list?  And where are the children?  Rounding everything up turns into a cataclysmic event.  By the time everyone's packed in the car and the shopping list is rewritten, it's lunch time and every one is cranky.

All of a sudden it's time to start dinner and you don't have what you need.  You'll have to make due.  Didn't you go to the store today?  Oh well.  Boxed noodles it is. 

Once the last child has finally drifted to sleep, you sit down to recollect your wits.  After an unknown amount of time you realize that's a lost cause and you look at the clock.  10:30?  Where did the day go?  Did I accomplish ANYTHING?

 I'm inspired by the hard working mamas who give their all to the offspring they so love.  You're a blessing to your families and a tribute to humanity.  A little well-deserved self-care is just the ticket.  But where do you get these magical tickets?

Sometimes it seems like an impossibility to get the time for yourself that you need.  And, I suppose, sometimes it is.  But here are a few ideas that might just be the treasure map to your successfully making time for yourself so you can jump back into action and start all over again.

• Tell yourself you need and deserve the time, and believe it!
• Get things ready the night before for the next day to make the morning routine more smooth... and completely doable on auto pilot!  You might just find the clock will surprise you still, but in a good way!
• Plan engaging activities ahead of time to avoid endless requests for something to do.  Get the kids involved in the plan and talk up the activities to get them enthusiastic when the time comes.  Sometimes just hearing fewer whines makes a huge difference in energy levels!
• Have snacks ready and offer them to the kids at regular times to avoid blood sugar crashes and nagging requests for something to eat.
• Connect with fellow mothers who need time and arrange a day to trade off helping each other with the children and having a day, or even just an afternoon, to yourself!

These are just a few small suggestions.  I'm sure there are tons more!  Feel free to share your ideas in the comments.

I also highly recommend two books called Sink Reflections and Saving Dinner and a group called FLYlady (authored and run by the same people).  FLY stands for Finally Loving Yourself and Marla Cilley has an amazing amount of simple tips and tricks for getting you out of the "fog" and into a smooth-running routine.  She and her team are also very inspiring and supportive. 



Just so you know, if anyone decides any of the books I recommend are worth buying and ends up buying them by clicking through the links in my blogs, I actually get a percentage of the sale!  So much fun, just for recommending books I like!