I have a hard time taking time for myself- that time when I can go away and do whatever I want for a while, even if it's just in another room for a few hours. I have a hard time for many reasons- I feel guilty about leaving my husband to take care of the kids by himself (although he's perfectly capable), I feel that I shouldn't have time for myself because I haven't earned it (there are still dirty dishes in the kitchen), I feel like I'm abandoning my family (but they will be fine without me for a few hours), any time I take for myself is time my husband isn't able to take for himself (though he says he gets a lot more time for himself than I do), I think I already took me time when I sat at the computer and blogged and was on facebook (even though I had to keep stopping to help the kids, etc. etc.- not actual me time). There are a number of reasons I don't take time for myself.
Often what happens when I don't take that time, though, is that eventually I get burned out. A lot of you know what I'm talking about. My wonderful husband wants to support me in getting time for myself. He'll hold down the fort while I go out or go in the other room. If the baby really needs me, he can get ahold of me. But I often don't take the time, even though he encourages me.
So, the other day I said, I'm going to take Me Time. I told my husband when I wanted to do it and we knew that there shouldn't be any conflicts. We didn't have anything scheduled for this evening so I was going to do it. After dinner I would go in our bedroom or the office and do whatever I wanted to do for a few hours. And guess what? I did.
I only had to stop a couple of times to feed the baby and for family prayer but I got my time.
I decided what I wanted to do with my time was mending. We have a box full of items to fix and some that I want to turn into other things (like t-shirts into bags, or pants into shorts).
So I popped a girly movie (heh heh) into the computer in the office and set to work mending.
The sewing machine was already in there from a Christmas project I did before, so I did some mending with the machine and some mending by hand and ended up with a nice group of finished projects that can now leave the mending box.
There are still a number of projects to do but I feel good that I was able to get that time for myself to do what I wanted and be productive at the same time.
Yay Me Time!
Good for you! I've found that my together time is much better when I've taken alone time.
ReplyDeleteWe've decided that I'm an Air. I sometimes need to fly away and soar; otherwise I'm always dreaming of the being free. But if I get a chance to spread my wings for a while (going hiking with Jeremy, making silly videos), then I can be much more present during together time.
We must leave parallel lives. I have those same thoughts about "me time" as well.
ReplyDelete"Lead" not "leave". :)
ReplyDeleteOk, how did you manage to crawl in my brain and reproduce my thoughts on "me time"? Thanks for the inspiration, I just might have to sit down and pencil some in. :)
ReplyDeleteYou've put into words exactly how I feel! It is so hard to take me time, but so desperately needed. So glad you were able to enjoy yours!
ReplyDeleteMy one New Year's Resolution was to take at least one hour per week for creative me-time, whether it's sewing or drawing or whatever else I can think of. I just realized that tomorrow's the end of the first week of the New Year, and I haven't done anything yet. Thanks for the boost!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good post, Kristin. I think you've really put your finger right on a need that we all have and that we often ignore. Was the movie good?
ReplyDeleteYeah, my girly movie. Heh. Sometimes a girl just needs to watch a good action flick even if she's by herself. Batman Begins. I like it. Have you seen it? I don't think I would choose to watch the second one by myself. Too intense.
ReplyDeleteAnd sometimes it's nice to know it's not just me. Other people are going through the same things. Ah, sympathy.
I think I've only seen parts of the Batman movies ... I agree with the "too intense" feel. I'm glad it "hit the spot." :-)
ReplyDeleteChris knows just when I'm about to break, and kicks me out of the house. When I come back, I'm a saner mama and wife. Glad you got your down time and enjoyed your girl movie!
ReplyDelete