Find Your "Me Time," Mamas
Disclaimer. I’m not a mom. Well, maybe a little. My child just happens to have four legs, and I can put her in a crate if I plan on leaving the house for a quasi-lengthy period of time.
Most moms (read: all moms of human children) don’t have such an easy way out.
And that’s why fitness and health are the top two items moms tend to neglect once their children’s needs become superior to their own. Not only that, but the expectations on women to succeed both personally and professionally have never been higher.
In an article by Cheyenne Bell for Baby Chick, it reads, “In the past decade, studies have shown that, despite the apparent improvements in women’s lives over the last 50 years or so, women’s happiness levels have steadily declined over that time.”
Ooph.
I believe it comes down to a very simple math formula. Women are giving. To our kids, jobs, friends, family, dogs, cats, etc. We give so much that, for many of us, we no longer have anything to give ourselves at the end of the day.
And here’s the thing. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Read that again.
You can NOT pour from an empty cup.
And if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s the importance of self-care. It’s also shown us our abilities to be resilient and to innovate.
In fact, physically going to a gym is now far from the norm. And for many moms, this is - or was - the greatest barrier to entry.
About two years ago, I started an online workout program called the TL Method. I wanted to inspire women to move for movement’s sake, not because a scale was dictating their every move. I wanted to build a community of people who supported each other and held each other accountable.
I repeat. I’m not a mom. And my ignorance then didn’t allow me to fully understand how powerful this program would be for parents.
My intention was to show people (read: everyone) that grueling two-a-days and intense multi-hour-long workouts weren’t, first of all, sustainable, and second of all, necessary (you can read my blog about the benefits of quick workouts here).
And, moms, you REALLY got it. Then, I really got it.
Mackenzie Romagni, a long-time TL Method member and new mother of one, recently wrote to me, “Now that I’m especially strapped for time, I appreciate the TL Method more than ever. All the workouts are less than 45 minutes and require minimal equipment, which means I can knock them out in the comfort of my own home while my baby naps.”
Cup. Filled.
And that’s the moral of this story. Moms, you must make time for yourselves. And making time for movement is a really key component to overall health and wellness.
Annaka Smith Drouin, another one of our TL Method members and mom of one, said, “As a working mom, I am always busy. Sometimes it’s even difficult to find ‘me time.’ But with TL Method, my workouts are my ‘me time’ as I find relaxation and fulfillment afterwards.”
A few of our amazing TL Method mamas (and their kiddos)
You don’t have to run a marathon or train for an Iron Man or hike up 14k-foot mountains every weekend. But intentionally moving for just a small portion of time (seriously, way less than an hour) most days, consistently, can significantly impact your health for the better.
Not only that, our kids adopt our habits. The way we show up to take care of ourselves becomes their window for seeing their own health. The term “working out” has carried a negative connotation for many people for many years, and I have made it my life’s work to showcase that it is not a dirty word.
It’s easy to forego the morning walk or to pass on reading your favorite book on the couch or to let go of making home-cooked meals most nights, but all these small choices that we make in an effort to save time end up, often times, costing us a piece of both our physical and mental healths.
In an article for Parents, which you can read here, Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow writes, “Old-fashioned mom guilt also prevents many of us from taking advantage of solo time. After all, what kind of mom puts her own needs ahead of her kids’? Turns out, a pretty good one.”
If you’re looking for some objective ways to re-incorporate “me time” back into your mom-life, head back over to that Baby Chick article here. She offers a long list of small choices that can often feel like big changes.
And if you find that movement is one of the harder areas for you to commit to as a mom, have no fear, you can access an entirely free week of the TL Method just by clicking here.
Cheers to all you mamas out there. I could never put into words how much I respect you.