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As a working Mom, I’m guessing you have heard this inspirational saying before: ‘the early bird gets the worm’, am I right?
Personally, I can’t tell you the number of times I have rolled my eyes at this saying! While I recognize this phrase is supposed to be a catchy and inspiring, nothing about eating a worm inspires me.
Do you know what does inspire me though?
Learning that there is 1 simple trick you can start tomorrow that will allow you to do more of the things that make you happy!
Including doing the things like take care of myself and actually spend some time in my self care routine!
Your Self Care Routine is Waiting!
Or it sounds like something a used-car salesman would say to keep you on the lot. But here me out- if you are a working mom and this next sentence doesn’t sound like you, stop reading. But if this situation does sound familiar please promise me that you will keep reading! This trick has transformed my ability to find more of that precious me time and enjoy it every single day. Does this sound familiar:
- Rush to work, rush home.
- Dinner, clean, baths.
- Clean more.
- Put kids to bed
- Prepare for the next day
- Maybe fit me-time in.
I struggled with being tired at the end of the day as a full-time working mom. When I went back to work with my second child, exhausted mom of 2 radiated off me by mid-day! If you are reading this and don’t have more than 1 kid yet… don’t worry, this trick still totally applies to you! In fact it will only better prepare you as your family grows- I wish I would have done this from day 1!
I bet you are wondering how does this full-time working mom of two little ones manage to find an hour of me time every single day?
What is a working mom to do?
Wake up earlier. I know, I know ladies…there is a reason that extra hour in the morning Disneyland gives you is called Magichours! I have never been a morning person. Even the thought of waking up earlier made me think I would have to lose out on sleep. In fact I cringed anytime someone talked to me about waking up earlier! That seriously just seemed impossible. God didn’t design me to love mornings- or at least that’s what I told myself 😉.
In other words, after maternity leave was over and I was back to work, I was struggling to find that balance of taking care of everyone else’s needs and find time to take care of my own. After a few failed mornings at waking up earlier and keeping my same nighttime routine, I felt like giving up. But then I decided to try something different. In this new experience I found myself in, it occurred to me that I didn’t actually need to lose sleep to wake up earlier-I just needed to swap the hour I was giving myself!
Yes, you do deserve the best.
After the house was clean and the kids were in bed, I would use 9-10pm to focus on myself. All I was really doing was giving myself the worst hour of the day when it came to energy and focus. Why is it that we, especially us moms, tend to put ourselves last? The time we give to ourselves should be our BEST hour!
This is when I decided I was going to switch my me time, therefore 5-6am, when I am feeling refreshed and have no stresses from the day weighing on my mind yet became my new me time.
My new trick started that night and after a few days of doing it I was shocked at how I was feeling!! I hadn’t lost any sleep by changing out my hour. My productivity skyrocket during this morning hour and this simple change is completely sustainable.
Now I am able to fit in my me time every single day, 7 days a week… can someone please tell me why it took me to be at my wits-end to try this waking up earlier thing out?!
With the addition of my morning me time, here is what my new daily morning routine looks like:
- Wake up
- Quick Yoga routine
- Get ready for the day
- Daily devotion/ prayer journaling (Why devotion is an important part of my day or more tips on getting started )
- Personal development time
- Regular routine with the kids if they are awake before I leave for work
- Work a full day
- Typical evening family things
- In bed an hour earlier than I was before
Meanwhile, if my kids wake up earlier than expected, I am usually able to still move through a few of my self-care items (listed in purple). This means I feel 100% better jumping into mom mode and conquering the day! My mornings are not rushed and they are not full of stress. Above all, I never find myself saying “I wish I had more time” like I used to chronically say.
Firstly, as a working mom I really honestly know exactly what it’s like to feel like you don’t have time for anything but work and tending to your families need.
Secondly, I know what it feels like to want to have just a little bit of your own time to focus on yourself without having to trade time with your family for it.
Above all, if there was one word I would use to describe the feeling that waking up earlier has brought me, it would be peace. Every morning (even the weekends!) you can find me in my living room, with my favorite pink, fluffy bathrobe sipping on my latte- enjoying the peace and quiet of me time.
There is no time like the present.
I encourage you all to pick 1 day this week that you will try swapping out your hour! Take that hour at the end of the day that you were not even able to enjoy and bring it to the first hour of your day. Soak in that well deserved, precious me time you have been longing for!Don’t forget to come back here and tell me how it goes in the comments below!
What is your most favorite way of soaking up self-care?
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