Me time…. a word you’re probably not familiar with anymore. Between work and kids (and the pandemic) our needs always tend to come last.
And while making time for yourself is easier said than done, I’m here to help you turn “Me” time into a non-negotiable activity in your schedule.
What is Me Time anyways?
As a Mompreneur, your “Me” time is simply activities that restore your energy and keep you refreshed and renewed.
They’re activities that make you feel better and clear when you’ve finished them NOT drained, behind on our to-do list or swimming in a sea of mom guilt.
Why is Me Time so important as a Mompreneur?
Self-care is SO important as a mompreneur because life without breaks will do a couple things to you:
1. Leads to burn out (there’s only so much coffee you can chug before enough is enough!)
2. Create physical (and emotional) headaches and beyond
3. It becomes harder to parent- you find yourself on edge, getting frustrated more quickly and you don’t get to enjoy those precious moments that are fleeting
4. And you’re not as sharp for your clients either…. and that’s not good for business
Let’s be honest…. being a mom and entrepreneur is HARD! I’m a mom of two under two myself so I 100% get it.
However, we need to recognize:
- That this is no walk in the park and shouldn’t be fantasized as one- just like anything worth having…. it’s going to be challenging but rewarding.
- Me time = the oxygen mask theory. You can’t help others if you haven’t helped yourself…. so why are we pretending we can?
- Last but not least, don’t you want to set an example for your kids? Wouldn’t it feel amazing if your kids recognized you as an individual (not just a mom, wife, and business owner.) And that, just like them, you have interests and passions and needs too. And since you made sure to make time for yourself….. they grew up and made sure “Me” time was a priority for themselves too. It became a value that’s engrained in them.
OK…. I think I’ve hit my point home. Now let’s talk about HOW to access the holy grail of Me Time.
Step #1: CLARITY
Before you can have your Me time you need to know who you are at your core, how you tick, what you want, what fills you up, and what your goals are.
Why? Because if you don’t know those answers then you’ll:
A) Never prioritize the things you want and will end up doing a host of things you don’t actually care about
B) If you do have the free time for me time but don’t know who you are and what fills you up, then you may end up wasting your time on activities that fill you with mom guilt instead of rest and rejuvenation.
(Need help finding clarity? Check out this blog post.)
To get started honing in on who you are and what you want I recommend journaling with prompts.
I know what you’re thinking…. I don’t have time for Me time… when will I have time to journal. Yes- it is going to take you some time but TRUST ME it’s time worth investing in. Instead of scrolling on social media before bed, pull up a GoogleDoc and start brain dumping. Google: journaling prompts for self-discovery OR shoot me an email and I’ll share some of the prompts I use with my clients.
Step #2: Alignment
Once you’ve clarified who you are and what you want out of your entire life (Mom, business, and personally), it’s time to align that with your time.
This is how you stop doing all the things and start doing just what works for you, your family and your business.
Look at your new list of priorities and definition of yourself and what you need out of life and list out what to keep, cut and add to your time (don’t forget to put Me time on the list!)
Then block out times for those activities. When it comes to your Me time I recommend scheduling 1-2 days a week that are specifically for you and adding your spouse to that virtual calendar invite. LITERALLY SCHEDULE IT SO YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN.
REMINDER: Your Me time doesn’t have to be a big elaborate spa weekend (although at least once a year it should be!) Your Me time can come in many different forms!
I find routines to be rigid so I like to think of our daily activities as sets of rhythms that we plug and play into our schedules based on how we’re feeling instead. (more on this to come soon!)
When it comes to Me Time, the rhythm buckets I share with my clients are:
- Exercise
- Community
- Unplug
- Mental + Mindset
- Education
- Active
- Quick
I recommend picking a few activities that fall under each category and then when some Me time comes along, you just plug and play what feels right.
Step #3: Recalibration
As you know, life is going to inevitably ebb and flow. Your kids will get older and be less dependent and need you in different ways. Your business will grow and hopefully become more automated for you. Your time is going to change and so will your Me time needs so let’s be proactive in meeting them.
How?
Through routine check-ins, accountability, and community.
1. Once a quarter go back to your journaling prompts and check-in with yourself. Are your answers the same? Have your goals or needs change? Take notes and go back through the alignment process again.
2. Keep yourself accountable. Share this article with a buddy, commit to making me time a thing not only for you but your spouse, or email me and I’ll be your accountability buddy! I want to make sure you don’t fall back into your old ways!
3. Find yourself a community who values Me time like you do. It’ll make it easier to prioritize when you see others prioritizing it too. It’ll also help you stay inspired and give you a place to vent and get back on track when times get tough… no ones perfect- we’re just striving to do our best.
So put it on your calendar tonight! Look up those journaling questions and start unlocking some me time because, mama- YOU DESERVE IT!
If you’re dying for some Me time and need help finding it check-out my Design Your Perfect Days Workshop.
You’ll walk away knowing:
- Who you are, what you want, what fills you up, and what your goals are
- What rhythm groups are and how they can help you access me time, and stop dreading mundane home and business activities
- How to create a flexible daily schedule that is only filled with the things you want to be doing
- How to stick to your new found schedule and course correct when things go wrong
AND one of my favorite parts of all, you can walk away with a group of business besties who keep you accountable, who want the same things you want, who you can collaborate with and grow your business with, and who you can lean on as you journey through this process and life together.
I’m SO passionate about helping mompreneurs live their lives to the fullest which is just why I created this workshop and beyonf and I’d love to see you there!