Mama Needs a Minute

There are perks to working from home.There are also perks to working outside of the home.One of those perks is commuting. I know, I know. Commuting is the worst.But is it?Think of it this way. You leave a crazy work day then get into your car to head home. Unless you work at a school with your children whom you'll be transporting home, you're probably going to pick them up, or head home. There are a few minutes there, plus or minus a couple of well-placed stoplights, that are just you. You in the car. By yourself. Sitting.I miss those minutes sometimes.Don't get me wrong; I'm super fortunate that I have the opportunity to stay home with my children. To see them and teach them and love them. but. There used to be a 3-4 minute lull from car to daycare that was just me. Me with my thoughts. Replaying what happened that day. Or what needed to happen that evening. Or simply, taking a few deep breaths. I like to call it decompressing.My husband works outside of the home. When he's headed home he usually calls to let me know. We have a brief discussion and some days I can tell he's had a rough day. Yet that 25-minute drive does wonders for him. He's had time to just be by himself, in the car, listening to music or whatever it is, and letting it roll off. By the time he walks in the door he's ready to see the kids and help with the evening. Sometimes, I need that too.It is different if you work from home. There is no commuting unless you count switching laundry from washer to dryer. Doesn't count. There are no well-placed stoplights. No quick errands to the grocery store and no decompressing.That's why it's so important to ask for breaks. Ask for a few moments to yourself to prepare for the next part of the day. Ask for a 10-minute, uninterrupted shower. Just Ask. You're not weak or failing if you ask for a little bit of you time. But so often, we don't ask until we're at a breaking point. Or we've had a rough day and just can't right now. By that point the you time isn't so much of a break, but a band-aid until the kids, or you, go to bed to start over tomorrow. It is so very important to take-5 regularly. If you're like me you feel a little bit of guilt about taking those few minutes, but it is necessary. If you're doing it all yourself, you can still ask. Ask a friend or a neighbor or a colleague. You deserve a few moments too.Today take a few moments just for you. Even if it means hiding in the closet with a magazine during nap time. You deserve a few minutes to not worry about all of your stuff and recharge for the next round.Be Great,M