5 Easy Ways to Make Time for Yourself that Work
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You can make time for you!
Homeschooling without a break is like trying to swim across the Atlantic without a boat. Kids wake you up in the morning demanding breakfast. You kiss boo-boos, chase tots, and teach addition all morning. Then it’s lunch and read aloud to the kids before run errands around town.
You’re drowning.
You Need Time for Yourself
But how?
The easy answer is to leave the kids with your husband, a sister, or a friend. But sometimes it’s just not possible.
But taking a break doesn’t mean that you must leave the house.
It merely means you schedule time during the day to crawl into your boat and rest. Time to curl up on the sofa and read a good book. Time to pray without interruption. Time to knit.
But when can you schedule that time?
1. Use Morning Time
The first solution is to wake up before the kids. If your kids are night owls, this could be the perfect solution. Go to bed at the same time as the kids, but wake up a few hours before them.
I’m not going to tell you it’s easy. As a morning lark, I still find it difficult to get up after a night with restless kids. I want more sleep!
However, the morning hours are quiet.
The phone doesn’t ring. No one is going to text you. You’re free to complete that shawl you’re knitting.
So get up early and use this time for exercising a quiet cup of coffee, and uninterrupted reading.
2. Find a Few Minutes with Quiet Time
Schedule quiet time immediately after lunch. Kids can take a nap, play quietly in their rooms, or read a good book.
But they can not disturb you for anything less than a catastrophe.
This gives you an hour or two of peace during the day. You can write a letter, respond to email, or pay the bills.
Better yet you can snag a few minutes for yourself! Curl up with a good book. Bake a pie. Watch your favorite show. Make time for you and your favorite activities.
Quiet time is your boat over the Atlantic. It’s a chance for you to rest, recharge, and ready yourself for the next leg of swimming. Use it wisely.
3. Make Time for Yourself with Screen Time
The time children spend playing computer games, watching movies, or exploring the internet is generally referred to as screen time.
Used wisely it allows parents to unwind, finish a project, or get dinner on the table.
Let me tell you nothing is worse than trying to get dinner on the table while the kids are screaming from hunger or fighting at the table.
The electronic babysitter will save your sanity!
Tell the kids they can watch a show if and only if they pick up the house.
That’s when the mad dash begins. Kids run around picking up the toys and completing their evening chores. Then they get to watch a show while you put dinner on the table.
You can also use screens when you need a few minutes to yourself. Turn on a movie. Pop popcorn. Hide in the kitchen.
Make time for yourself and you’ll be a happier mom.
4. Spend Time by Yourself in the Evening
Morning time doesn’t work well if you have early risers. My own kids are up and about by 6 am every morning. If your kids keep similar hours, try putting your kids to bed early.
You’ll enjoy a couple of hours in the evening to unwind, watch a show, or take a long bath.
Encourage your kids to stay on their beds with audiobooks or special toys, while you read a book, enjoy a cup of coffee, or soak in the tub.
Do not pay bills or work.
Use this time for you. You can’t just keep swimming and swimming forever. Eventually, you must rest.
You need time for yourself.
5. Use Outings
Leave the house. Head to the park with a good book. The kids will enjoy sliding, swinging, and running while you get lost in another world.
Check out local businesses which cater to children. Often there’s an area for you to relax while the children play. Bring your knitting along so you can finally finish that shawl.
Try local gyms. Some gyms have a supervised children’s play area for the kids while you exercise. Your kids will have a blast while you take care of yourself.
The secret to making time for yourself as a homeschool mom is to be creative about using the time the kids are otherwise occupied. Crawl into your boat, relax, and enjoy the waves.
You’ll find homeschooling and swimming across the Atlantic possible when you take regular breaks. The goal is to thrive, not drown!
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