5 "Me Time" Tips for Parents

"Time is gold, but what you do with it makes it priceless."

Being a parent is a wonderful experience, yet it can be overwhelming as well especially when you are juggling your multitudinous roles. Activities like napping without interference, watching your favourite tv series or sports channel instead of cartoons, or reading a book that has been gathering dust on the shelf can be a thing of the past, wishful thinking, a thought lurking behind your mind that comes out as a sigh because you no longer have the time to indulge yourself with them. You are missing your “me time". And while others are hacking parenthood like a pro, many find it too exhausting to the extent of sacrificing their passion over family duties and end up being miserable.

Well, these “me time" tips for parents might just come in handy. Read on.

1. Chop your time

Every one of us has only 24 hours to spend in a day. Nothing more, nothing less. You can’t even borrow it from those who are lying idle (though in a way you can, that’s a different discussion altogether). The point is to calculate how much time goes into all the things you do, particularly the ones that are routine such as sleeping, the number of office hours or the time you spend on the road from home to office. The rest can be chopped into doing the things that you have ‘missed’ doing-- those that you forgot to do and those that you want/desire to do. The latter refers to the 'me' time session.

Even if you work at home, allocating a specific amount of time for doing these things can do wonders.

2. Keep a calendar

I am sure that we all go through a phase where we feel like we don’t have enough time for what we want to do. And this can lead to stress, anxiety, fatigue, among others. But there’s a way to get rid of these. Calendar!

Why? Firstly, it keeps track of the events in your life so you can plan other things ahead. It sets your mind that you need to finish one task at a particular day or time. Secondly, it holds you accountable and won’t blame anyone, or yourself for that matter, for forgetting something. Thirdly, it prioritizes important things over those that can be postponed for a much later time. Fourthly, it shows boundaries keeping you from spending too much time on one task or activity and not enough time on another. Finally, it makes everything realistic, avoiding doing things in a rush.

So allot a day to do laundry, another day to go for groceries, another day to visit a friend, etc.

3. Menu planning

Just like calendaring, planning what food to prepare for which meal saves you time and energy, especially on thinking about which groceries, fruits and vegetables to buy. It sets your mind on how to go about each meal ahead of time. For example, you would already know what vegetables to wash or chop before you sleep at night so the preparation for the next day’s food for lunch is quicker.

4. Make an activity a family affair

Work, kids, domestic duties--all can be done in a fun way. If you like dancing, involve your kids in it. You’ll not only burn some calories you are also instilling a good pastime in your children. If you like spending time in the park, take your dogs for a walk and take everyone along with you. You’ll not only breathe a little bit of fresh air, but a good laugh with the members of the family would also be a treat. If you have a book to finish, set an hour of quiet time where while you read, your children do their homework. A win-win situation for all.

5. Delegate tasks

Good habits are best learned at a young age. Hence, create good habits for your children by delegating or sharing tasks. A task as simple as folding clothes and keeping them in the right cupboards is one. Have your children fix their beds, let them keep their toys back to their proper places, or make them pack their lunch boxes-- activities that do not require perfection or supervision. Also, schedule a day or two when your spouse cooks dinner or breakfast.

It can be chaotic at first, but when you get the hang of it and become consistent you’ll definitely earn a sizable chunk of time that you can use for doing the things you love.