Previously, I shared about how I felt that “Me Time” under the right view was biblical.  If we do not care for ourselves then how can we care for our families?  Today I will share some things that I feel can be helpful in caring for ourselves and creating this atmosphere of quietness in ourselves and in our home.

• Make your marriage a priority and have regular date nights.  Time alone with just your husband is imperative in a life with lots of littles and a large family and busy home.

• Allow yourself to have a hobby.  Find something that you enjoy and can relax with once in awhile.  My mom recentling starting doing some beautiful coloring in some books she found and my children love to go down and sit once and awhile with her and color.  I just looked and CBD has some beautiful and Edifying Adult Coloring Books.  Do you scrapbook?  Maybe you enjoy writing.  Is there something you have always wanted to learn?  A musical instrument?  Gardening, reading, crocheting, a puzzle–find something that gives you some relaxation and pleasure.

• Make sleep a priority.  Don’t feel guilty when you get a chance to nap.  Mama’s require alot of sleep and when you are able make it a priority.

• Have some downtime either at the beginning or end of the day.  For me, my circadium rhythm has been off for years  and especially in my recovery from my health issues mornings are still harder, so my downtime is in the evening. I need that time to wind down.  For many, those early morning hours are the jewel for quiet and preparation for the day.

• Keep rest time in the house for as many years of your mothering as possible.  I now have a college student, 3 high schoolers, 3 middles schoolers and two preschoolers so a whole family rest time has stopped being practical.  However, when my 3 year old is down I still give myself the freedom to retire and have quiet.

• Get together with other moms once in awhile.  Our church has a once a month gathering at Panera in the evening when the daddies can be home with the little ones.  This is such a blessing to connect with other moms and relax, as well as a time for edifying conversation.

• Find a regular time when you are able to go just yourself to relax occasionally… whether that is window shopping or sipping a latte’ at Starbucks — take some time to breathe.

• Make sure your time with the Lord is top priority.  Whether when you first get up, during the children’s naptime, when daddy is home and mommy can hibernate for a few minutes, or before bed- make sure your relationship with the Lord is kept central.

• If you can, go away for a silent vacation…just you.  I mean it.  When I was on my sabbatical I realized that every mother would benefit from a yearly night or two away at a hotel.  A time when you can relax and have quiet, think and pray.  You will come back feeling recharged and so blessed!

• Eat well and hydrate!  Enough said! This seems to be a given, but for me- stopping to eat is hard when you have SO much to get done. Before I know it, is it well into the afternoon and I haven’t taken the time to fuel my body with nourishment. I highly suggest the eating plan Trim Healthy Mama.

•  Take your supplements!  Baby after baby I would take my prenatal while I was pregnant but then stop while I was nursing.  As my health began to deteriorate and my fatigue worsened I went to regular doctors and natural doctors.  I did detoxes and bioidentical hormones.  Many of these things helped me for a time but I would crash again over time.  A year and a half ago when I had my major crash we were at our wits end.  I was beginning to wonder if I would need to learn to be content with living couch-ridden.  Then the Lord showed me some amazing plant based supplements that have been working on internal healing in my body. I am a different person now, a better wife and mother.  If you are a struggling mother, fatigued and overwhelmed physically, don’t wait until you get as bad as I did.  Begin to take care of yourself now. 

• Find time to play with your kids.  I often forget to stop and smell the roses.  I have my post-it notes in my head and am preoccupied with my next to-do list in my head.  But, let the schedule go.  Take the kids to the park.  Read a book with your toddler.  Dance with your teenager.  Live life. (Ask my husband how well I do with this 🙂 )

I hope these things have encouraged you and given you some food for thought.  Especially, those of you with many young ones and no older help in the house, these tips are possibly even more important for you now–to have the strength to leaning on the Lord run the marathon ahead of this journey called motherhood.