When you have children, it can be hard to find the time to take care of yourself because you’re always (and necessarily) taking care of others. The problem is that the less time you put aside for yourself, the less you’ll be able to take care of anyone else. You’ll become exhausted, you’ll be irritable, and you might even become physically unwell. 

Therefore, even if it doesn’t initially seem like the right thing to do, you must take time to look after yourself as a mom. Knowing this is one thing, of course, but working out a way to give yourself that time is another. If you don’t have a plan in place, you might never get around to it, and that could spell disaster. It can be done, though; read on for some useful advice that can help you get started and ensure you stay happy and healthy as a mom and a person. 

Create A Routine

When you have a good routine, you can become more efficient with your time, and that means you can carve out some time for yourself (it doesn’t have to be much; ten minutes here and there to read a chapter of a book, take a bath, listen to music, or enjoy a show on one of your premium TV channels is all it takes). 

If you find that you put a routine in place (or that you already have one, as many parents will do, especially if their children are at school and there are lots of things that have to be done during the day) and don’t have any time left over for yourself, you’ll need to look at how to change that routine. Could you go to bed a little earlier and take a moment to write in a journal or listen to a podcast? Could you get up a little earlier and use that time to enjoy a cup of coffee and some breakfast (something you might not otherwise get to do)? Could you sign up for a class and hire a babysitter to give you a break? Consider what you could do and enjoy that extra time, as it is so important. 

Outsource

If outsourcing sounds like something you would do if you were running a business, that’s because it is, but it can also be something you do personally to free up some time for yourself if need be. If you were to hire a cleaner, how much time would that give you back? What about a babysitter, as mentioned above? Could you outsource some meals and have them delivered (not takeout – you can find healthy meal delivery services as well)? Maybe you could do your grocery shopping online, which would save a lot of time that you would normally spend at the store. 

The best thing to do is make a list of all the tasks you do and work out which ones take the most time. These are the ones you need to work on, and if outsourcing is what will help the most, it’s certainly something to consider. If the cost of doing this is putting you off, what about asking friends and family members to help out? Maybe you could start a grocery pool where one person does everyone’s shopping, and you alternate each week. A carpool is another option, and playdates can be a very effective way of getting some time to yourself; you just have to reciprocate at a later date. 

Set Boundaries

One of the reasons why many moms don’t have a lot of time to themselves, or even none at all, is due to boundaries, or rather, a lack of them. If there are no boundaries, you’ll find that your work life and personal life blend into one, and it’s hard to say no at any point. This means you’ll never have time for yourself, and you’ll never really be able to relax. 

It’s good to set boundaries. When work is over, make sure it really is over, and don’t check your emails or log onto any system. It’s easier to do this when you work outside the home, but even if you work from home, you should resist. Think of the time you’ll get back if you start and end work when you are contracted to rather than when you think you should! 

There will be times when you do have to work late or when your personal needs mean you have to take time off work, but in general, try to stick to the boundaries you create as much as you can. Set clear expectations with your colleagues and your family, and this will become easier.