ME TIME

Are you a woman? A wife? A mother? We all think about this, but we very rarely take the time to do something about this. What am I talking about? ME TIME! Check this out:

The Families and Work Institute (FWI) found that working mothers spend both more time at the job and more time with their kids than their counterparts did 25 years ago.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/15/me.time.health/index.html

I'm not saying no to time at work or no to time with kids - I enjoy my job and I love my kid. I've noticed, however, that it takes so much effort to actually spend time for myself, and when I'm gone, I feel that monster creeping up to strangle me - GUILT!

When I went to Girl Scout Summer Camp many many years ago, everyday after lunch, we had "ME TIME". We could nap, write home, swim, read, play outside games, whatever we wished. I didn't feel guilty then.

This year has been rough for me physically. After breaking my elbow in February, I didn't take any time off. In hindsight, I was NUTS. Joe and his mom drove me around town. I henpecked the keyboard at work. I wore a head-set so I could be on the phone and work on the computer if needed. It worked out ok. But I was also on vicodin and was in a lot of pain. I don't remember much of the month of March.

I'm learning to try to bring some of ME TIME in my time now, before the surgery as well as after. Tonight I've invited women from all aspects of my life for a Girl's Night Out, and at least 9 of us are having dinner together at a wonderful restaurant in town. I'm learning not to feel so guilty about doing things I enjoy. I'm also going to take off as much time as I need after the surgery for recovery! I'm not going to do it like in February, struggling to stay awake whilst on yummy drugs, aching in pain and hoping to find time for sleep.

Yeah for ME TIME!