the juggler

Thanks to Crystal Light for sponsoring this post. To learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight.


As a "new-ish" mom, I find myself constantly juggling.  Between a full-time job, spending quality time with my daughter in the morning & evenings, attempting to have a conversation with my husband that doesn't involve poopy diapers and keeping up with the lives of my friends, I find the weeks often zip by, leaving me speechless as to how time elapsed at such a pace.  I can tell you that often, I feel like I'm not doing such a great job at the balancing act and losing sight of myself in the process.  With that said, and acknowledging that life can be overwhelming, I strongly feel that taking time for yourself is vitally important -- even if it's just a few minutes each day.

In no particular order, I'll share a few of my "me" time activities...
and would welcome any of your suggestions, too!

1.) Taking a walk: Pre-Baby S, I used to walk home from work every day.  It was 30 minutes of solitary "me" time and I really enjoyed it.  Now that I race home to meet Nanny A, I make up for it by stealing a few minutes each day during lunch to go for a brief walk.  Fresh air not only wakes you up but we all know walking is easy exercise.
2.) Reading/TV/Etsy time: These days, my reading consists mostly of "Goodnight Moon" and "Moo Cow Kung Fu Cow", but I haven't given up on reading as a pasttime.  I must admit, though, after a long day sometimes just zoning out in front of American Idol (while watching Husband suffer in silence) is a great way to decompress after a long day.  Hee hee.  And don't even get me started on etsy... I could persuse this site all day long.
3.) Morning yoga/stretching: DISCLAIMER- I do not currently do this.  However, I LOVE the idea and am hoping I can get up the motivation soon to wake up a little earlier (before the Little One is stirring) and do this for myself.  I think it'd be particularly helpful since I sit behind a desk all day long.
4.) Shower: Yes, shower! This falls under the category of "daily maintenance" and let me tell you, if I went the day without a shower during my maternity leave, I just didn't feel completely myself.  In addition to the benefits of not smelling (!!), it's also a perfect 10 minute escape zone.
5.) Cooking: Husband and I are making an attempt to eat better. And with Baby S now chomping down on most everything under the sun, menu planning has gotten a little more fun, and I'm actually enjoying my time in the kitchen (to anyone who knows me, this news might be shocking).  I now have her in mind when I'm at the grocery store, as she usually eats a portion of what I'm cooking for dinner that night, which actually makes shopping easier.

Quick tip: Keeping track of everything going on in our daily lives can be challenging, but I do my best to update the calendar on my phone regularly, and I find that having easy access to our activities makes me breathe a little easier. 

Maybe by Baby #2, I'll have this whole juggling act perfected??  Ha!

Remember, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight to learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors. I was selected and paid for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.