Moms on Overload – How to Find Time For You

It is very easy to get lost in the daily grind — especially if you have a family to take care of. The sad thing is, when you put everyone ahead of yourself, you are the one who ultimately suffers. If may not be apparent at first, but it begins to wear on you in many ways. Here is how to make sure you find some guilt-free personal time, just when you need it.

1. Schedule Yourself. You make a schedule for everyone else, schedule your “me” time too — and don’t waiver from it. Would you re-schedule your kid’s soccer game? Skip bathing your children? Refuse to help them with homework? Make your family skip dinner? Everyone else gets their time in, making sure you have your own time slot is just as important.

2. Make a Weekly Plan and Post it. If you don’t already write things in a daily/weekly planner, start doing it. Then, post a copy on the refrigerator for all to see. If you think your family will feel neglected if you take some time for yourself, write down everything you do during the week, and use highlighters to identify which time slots are dedicated to others. After you have highlighted the times you do things for everyone else, highlight what you have for your own time. If anyone complains, point them to the fridge for a peek. It is very obvious what’s fair and what’s not, when it’s in full color and all laid out for them.

3. Communicate. If you are overwhelmed at work, excessive about taking caring of others, or just plain abused by your good nature, it is possible that those in your circle don’t even know you are working on overload. Tell your family, friends and associates that you need time to yourself. They may not even realize you aren’t taking that time that you need.

4. Learn to Say “No”. This is something that is hard for a lot of big-hearted people. You have to learn how to say “no” when you really don’t want to do something. No one will think any less of you, and you will not allow people to take advantage of you this way.

5. Respect Yourself. You are just as important as those you take care of. If you don’t take care of yourself first, you will be no good to everyone else. For those you depend you you, you need to be happy, healthy and rested. This means you need personal time, whether you realize it or not.

Take these three steps and you will find yourself a much happier and content person. The best part is, when you are truly happy, it rubs off on everyone else.

C.D. Watson is the author of this article and provides free information on a variety of topics. She is an entrepreneur and has written several hundred articles in her areas of expertise and life experience. Visit http://www.everykindofmom.com and see how life, love and insanity can all come together!