MamaBlogger365 – A Quickie by Robin Gorman Newman
Sometimes a quickie is as good as it gets… and it’s better than nothing. I don’t mean a “quickie” in the way you might be thinking, though the notion certainly applies.
Whether a foot massage…
Phone chat with a close friend…
Overnight escape…
High intensity run…
Romp in the hay…
It can all feel pretty good, even if fleeting. And sometimes, as multi-tasking moms, we have to be grateful for what we can squeeze in. The days fly by, and it’s so easy to be engrossed in what feels like a never-ending to-do list of tasks — laundry, food shopping, cooking, cleaning, organizing, planning, etc., etc.,… not to mention if you work from home, as I do. Switching gears constantly throughout the day isn’t the easiest thing to do, and it invites burnout.
The topic of a “quickie” arose for me recently when a friend emailed that she’d love to chat, and my son Seth, 8, was home from school, so I had no time for much of anything other than engaging him.
My friend is single (no kids), so her time is her own, except for when she’s at work. And, while she wrote that she understood, I felt she had a strong need to connect sooner than later.
So, as I finally got out of the house… to head to the gym… with Seth in tow… I decided to give my friend a call (on speaker cell phone) from the car. I started off the chat by saying I was calling for a “quickie.” We could have gone on for hours, as we have done in the past, time-permitting. But, that wasn’t about to happen now, so I wanted to let her know upfront. It was good to hear her voice, at the very least. And, she got to share what was on her mind, so I was glad to be there. It felt satisfying at least for the short term.
It’s so easy to feel that we can’t do something because our schedule doesn’t permit. And, then we feel bored or deprived or drained… or any multitude of non-positive emotions that one might associate with parenting on a bad day. But, does it have to be that way? We all make choices and have priorities. Isn’t something better than nothing? OK… maybe not everything (a whole chocolate bar is better than a bite), but, it’s something to consider. It might satiate you more than you’d expect.
While I often yearn for a vacation, sometimes just an overnight someplace you enjoy can be rejuvenating.
Getting to the gym isn’t always viable, but fitness experts will say that high intensity 10 minutes sprints can be beneficial.
I don’t always give myself permission to meditate as I’d like to, but I’ll take my pet cockatiel Smokey out of his cage, and play with him, which feeds my soul.
Having a 60 minute foot massage, my favorite, is always a treat. But, if I can’t find the time, I’ll go for a 30 minute session, or entice my husband to give me one… which would likely be around three minutes, but I’ll take it.
My point is that we don’t always have to think BIG. Life is full and busy for any mom…. but you can find pockets of joy and carve out time for things that bring you pleasure… even if it’s just for mere moments. Our bodies and minds have muscle memory, so the positive vibes can last and remind you of what you’re entitled to want and create in your life, even if caught up in the daily throes of demanding parenting.
Take a look at your week ahead, and make a vow to work in some “quickie” ME time. You’ll be all the better for it, as will your family.
Bio: Robin Gorman Newman is the founder of www.MotherhoodLater.com, the leading e-zine, website, blog and community for those who became a mom at 35+, whether for the first time or again. In-person chapters are worldwide. Follow her on Twitter: rgnewman.
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