Alone time… is that even a thing when you are a mom? I always thought moms and parents were being extremely dramatic when they talk about how they couldn’t even pee without a child staring them in the face. Enter a toddler into my life. Let me tell you how much I love it when I am trying to pee in peace, and my toddler starts putting her princess stickers all over my face. Why doesn’t she care when my husband pees? Speaking of my husband, is it too much to ask for him to get his own room? Doesn’t he understand that after a day of having a child hang all over me, the last thing I want to do is snuggle? Like seriously, get your arm off of me.
If you are like me and need your alone time, you have to make sure you prioritize it, and be realistic with your expectations. For example, I know as a mom and a wife, I won’t get alone time every day. Strike that, I guess I am alone at some points during every day. Taking a shower? My drive to work? Why don’t people tell you these things BEFORE you get pregnant? Probably because they want you to feel their pain.
So why is alone time important, and how do we get it? It’s important because everyone needs a break. Everyone needs time to be alone with their thoughts, or to think nothing at all. Alone time helps us recharge our battery, and in the end, helps us be better parents and wives. The times when I haven’t had alone time for a while, are the times where I see myself snapping at my daughter. My fuse is too short. That’s when I know I need some space, and I work to fit it in. Tons of parents feel this way after having kids. We are parents, yes… but we also shouldn’t lose sight in ourselves.
The first thing I did, on my journey to find more “me time” was talking with my husband about it. I communicated to him my need for alone time, and we came up with some ways for me to achieve it.
What are some ideas of ways to get alone time?
- Exercise – You knew I had to throw this in here. Go to the gym, go to an exercise class, go to a private room in your house and do your own exercises. Exercise is my outlet. Even though I mainly workout with Melissa, once class starts, I am still alone with my thoughts and my practice.
- Get a manicure and/or pedicure – This is something I need to do more often, especially as I looked down at my nasty feet at yoga this morning. It’s been MONTHS since my last pedicure, my poor feet! Getting out to get a manicure and/or pedicure is something so simple, yet so relaxing. Sorry, honey, I can’t take the two year old to the nail salon. Freedom.
- Make a coffee date with yourself – I must admit that I don’t do this as often as I should. Every time I go to get coffee, I am in and out. I always feel the need to rush back to my “motherly duties.” Next time, I will go to Starbucks, get my coffee, and sit down to enjoy it while it is still hot.
- Read a book – I am not a good book-reader, but I am trying! I set aside time at the end of the night to go up to my room, and read before bed. Alone.
- Wake up earlier – I do not do this, BUT I hear this is a great time of day to be alone. I am a morning person, but life does not start before 6:00 AM for me, and 7:30 AM on the weekends. Thank god my kid loves sleep as much as I do!
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