Taking care of "Me" when there's little time for "Me"

Last week my husband was travelling to California. So from Friday night to the following Friday night, I was on my own with the kids. I knew it was going to be a tough one as we had many appointments and commitments to attend during the week, so I wanted to be organized as best as possible. I also knew from the onset that I would not have a lot of "Me" time at all during the week. And so from the get go I decided that I needed to have no expectations at all about how the week would unfold and to take it day by day. If I could get some Me time at some point, great. If not, I knew I'd be able to get it once Tyler was home.

The strategy that helped me the most, beside having no expectation, was prioritizing what would be important during the week and letting go of what wouldn't. It was about getting rid of external or internal pressure to do and  be everything in the world. I had three priorities: getting the kids to their various appointments/commitments, having fun times with them so this week would be easier for them and they wouldn't miss their dad too much, and trying to get one moment during the day when I would be alone so I could catch my breath, even if it was only for a minute. The rest: blogging, chores, phone calls, and even work, had to take a back seat for the week. Once I made the decision to prioritize, this week by myself didn't seem as overwhelming. And this strategy really, really helped. The kids were fabulous and I was relaxed  because I didn't have many expectations or "must-do" items. That being said, I tip my hat off to all single parents who do this job of child-rearing on their own day in and day out, because it really, really is tough. Being responsible for everything 24/7 leaves you no breaks at all. I'm sure you get used to it, but it doesn't take away the fact that it is a tough job.

Tyler came home mid-day Friday and since then I have enjoyed lots of "Me" moments. I especially went for a run this morning which was really tough but was all about making "Me" healthier and that makes me really, really happy.

Have you done anything special for your me lately?