alsis35 via CompfightCreative
And start cooking up a little self care!
And you are not alone.
It took this great note from a busy mom who just finished my book, to remind me that I haven’t used my Self Care recipe, in quite some time!
“Dear Jamee,
I just finished your book “Balance Your Work and Family with Less Stress and More Fun.”
Where do I start? I finally have thought about myself and what I want, more. How I can do things to care not only for my husband and my son, but myself as well.
I put myself on the back burner so much! I vow to do something for myself every month, which I haven’t done in a long time. I plan to exercise in the morning before my husband goes to work and to study more effectively.
Your book has helped me to put some things in line with my goals so that I won’t be as stressed out as I am now. Knowing that I do not need to be a perfectionist helps me, but that doesn’t mean I won’t still strive to be. Thank you so much for investing your knowledge and your words in this book. I am grateful.” ~ Lydia
I am grateful too. Grateful for moms like Lydia and like YOU – moms who are committed to their families, work, school, spouse and SELF.
Knowing that unless we take care of ourselves, we cannot really take care of others.
Thankfully, self care reminders show up each day if we are open to them – like the reminder that showed up when I tried to check off my to-do list last Saturday:
- Wrap gifts for first night of Chanukah. Check!
- Make Latkes for party tomorrow night. Check Check!
- Collect cans for school food pantry drive. Checkeroo!
- Sign up daughter for winter dance camp. Checkiteecheckcheck!
- Help son make peppermint/chocolate candy for violin recital bake sale. Yum!
- And for self-care, 30 minutes of exercise. No check.
Sound familiar?
Of course there are reasons we don’t check off our self care items.
We run out of time.
We are too tired.
We get caught up in other activities that appear to be more important.
Let’s face it. You are cooking on all four burners BUT, you’ve forgotten about that little burner in the back that hasn’t seen any heat for months now!
What if your self-care items were as important as the things you do for your family?
If they were that important – they would get done – just like all the to-do’s that you do for the people you love. Things like time, fatigue and a sense of overwhelm would not derail you.
I know that when you’re busy, it’s easy to skip that trip to the gym, Mom’s Martini Night, haircut or pedicure. I’ve seen friends go for months without doing one thing for themselves. And, in the long run, everyone pays the price.
What is the ultimate cost of keeping your self-care on the back burner?
What is the one self-care item that always gets dropped out?
What is the one self-care item that makes the biggest difference when you keep it in your schedule?
Here’s what I know.
- When your actions are important for your children, spouse or work, you will take them.
- When you identify the value of the impact that YOUR self care has on your children, spouse and work, you will make sure it is a priority.
- When you make self-care a priority, life is more fun and you look and feel great!
So, are you ready to get on the front burner, Mamas?
Let’s go.
Coach Me Quick Tips For Lighting the Fire of Self-Care
1. Choose 1 priority that you have allowed to sit on the back burner and write it down in your schedule. Maybe it is something you want to do every day, or just one day each week. Whatever is appropriate, write it down as if it was an appointment.
2. Once you have scheduled that self-care item, protect that appointment as if it was the most important item on your schedule. It probably isn’t – but unless you treat it as such – it will get dropped off the minute your kid sneezes.
3. IF the item MUST be changed, find another time for it and put it in the schedule. If you just drop it and don’t reschedule, it will be like pushing a boulder uphill to get it back on the calendar.
4. Stay tuned for part 2: Overhauling Overwhelm!
Sipping Martini’s in L.A.,
Jamee