A Guide to Carving Out Essential ‘Me-Time’ for Working Moms

I get it mama. You are pulled in a million directions every day. Your littles need you, your partner, your co-workers. The list goes on. BUT what about you? You need you too and carving out me time is going to make it so you are pouring into you so you can show up as the best you, energized and ready to help those who need you. This is a list of me time strategies for working moms that will help you find the time for you. Let’s dive in!

Understanding the Importance of ‘Me-Time’

If you never pour into you, you’re constantly living in a state of empty, depletion, burn out. It is ESSENTIAL that you have me time in your life, especially as a working mom. It is not “selfish” to take time for yourself. Often a lot of times when moms think about doing something for themselves, mom guilt comes up. I promise your kids will be okay if you focus on you. The way I think about it is, when I am pouring into myself and set a boundary and schedule around pouring into me, my kids are seeing that I value myself and taking time for me and I am teaching them that THEY can too take time for themselves.

Assessing Personal Priorities

What would you even do with your me time? That’s personal to you! For me, I use my me time to workout, read and pour into creative projects. Think about things that you tell yourself “I wish I had more time for…” That is a good start! Maybe it’s gardening, maybe cooking, maybe taking an online class to learn a new skill. Whatever it is it needs to be personal to you and something that you excited about!

Time Management Strategies

I’ve found that, if I don’t put whatever it is that I want to do on my schedule, it’s not going to happen. As busy, working mamas, we don’t just have extra time randomly. Our days our filled and we need to make sure we schedule ‘me time’ so we can prioritize that time like it is an important meeting with ourselves, because it is!

Brain dump all the me time activities you’d like to do regularly. Then, get out your calendar and figure out where these things will fit. Maybe you need to get up a little earlier. Highly recommend, as mornings are my absolute favorite time for me time! (Read more about creating your perfect morning routine here.) Maybe you need to delegate tasks or put new systems in place. Figure out what’s going to help you be successful in having regular me time and implement.

Once you decide where this me time is going to go in you schedule, create that routine and boundary so that your family knows this time is your time. It might take some time to train your family that this is mommy’s time, but soon they’ll understand and expect that you’re taking that time for you.

Get Creative with Your ‘Me-Time’ Routine

The big things like working out or reading or doing something creative need to be scheduled into your daily and weekly schedule but what about the small moments of ‘me time’ throughout the day?

For example, I love putting on a podcast or audio book in the car while I’m driving around or during pick up. You could even put a headphone in if your work allows for it and listen to something while you’re working. Another example, is I will wash my face and do a skin care routine while the kids are in the bath. Find times that are a little slower and see what you can add in to do something for you! Get creative!

One other thing that makes me feel like I’m living my best life is when I take a moment to appreciate and be present in the moment. Whenever I can be intentionally present, I feel more excited for life and thankful for everything in it.

Overcoming Guilt and External Pressures

If taking time for yourself is new, you may feel guilt or external pressures when you’re first starting out. This is something you will work through as you continue to keep that priority of pouring into you.

Communication is key! Tell your partner and your kids that you want to start doing more of ___ and your plan is to do it at this time and while you’re doing it, it would be helpful if your partner can be on the kids or if the kids could stay out of the room your working in, or whatever it is that would be helpful to you, communicate it.

It may feel uncomfortable to start and stick to this me-time if it’s new but soon, it’ll be a routine and something that is just apart of you and your daily life! Remember, when you pour into you, you can overflow and pour into those around you who need you at your best. And your best is when you can do things that matter to you, that make you feel good!

Practical Tips for ‘Me-Time’ Success

Here are some practical tips for me time strategies for working moms. We talked about scheduling it in which in my opinion is really the most important part! Then you know exactly WHEN you’ll be having this me-time. But what else is useful?

• Utilize technology: are there any apps or technology that would support you in your me time? Maybe a meditation app, audio book, podcast or music. Maybe setting an alarm to signal it’s time for your me time.
• Have a plan for your me time: take some time to brain dump and decide what is priority to work on during your me time. If you’re using it to do a creative project, what part of this project should you start with in order to maximize that time for you?
• Set boundaries: communicate with your family about the importance of this time and why it’s important to you, let the know you’re unavailable right now but will be back with them and present when you’re done, also keep to a schedule if you can so your family expects this time.

Conclusion

I hope these me time strategies for working moms was helpful to you to start prioritizing YOU! You are worth it mama. You are worth the time to pour into you FIRST so that you can feel your best, be your most energized, present, productive version of yourself. If this was helpful or if you want more content like this, let’s connect on Instagram! @daniellemgodfrey