Part of being an organized wife means scheduling the time to take care of yourself too. No I’m not talking about weekly spa days (though if you can afford it and have the time, go for it!). But I am talking about taking the time you need to take care of yourself.
Because as wives and moms we tend to put the needs of the family, it is incredibly important that we spend a bit of time identifying ways we need to take care of ourselves and then schedule the time to do it. Actually put it on the family calendar! So what are some ways we need to take care of ourselves?
#1. Physically - If we aren’t eating right and exercising, we will not have the energy we need to take care of everyone and everything around our home. Moms are notorious for skipping breakfasts, snacking lunches off kids’ leftovers, and not exercising because we think it takes too much time away from the family. Well, a sick or tired mom is much more detrimental to the family than taking time to exercise and eat right. Put on the schedule a time for your to exercise at least 60 minutes a week, and more often as your health level allows. A good idea is 30 minutes of cardio or aerobic exercise (Zumba, running, spinning…) every other day with strength training on the in between days. This can be before kids get up, when your husband gets home (that’s my time), after kids are in bed, or while they are at school. Some gyms even have a place for the kids to hang out while you exercise. To help keep the costs down, there are tons of websites with exercises you can do at home and for free (walking or running through your neighborhood or a park is free and the kids can come in a stroller or run with you). This website shows you 10 ways to exercise at home without spending money for equipment…http://www.fitwatch.com/exercise/10-ways-you-can-exercise-at-home-without-any-equipment-10.html. As always, check with your doctor before you begin any new fitness routine.
#2. Spiritually – You cannot afford to let your spiritual life slide because you are too busy! You will not be able to effectively train and discipline your children if you are not taking time to develop your own spiritual growth. Did you know that you can read through the entire Bible in one year with roughly 15 minutes a day invested? How can you effectively instruct and train your children if you do not know the Bible well? For great reading plans check out www.youversion.com. Read Teach Them Diligently by Lou Priolo for information on using scripture to train and discipline your children. Besides making you a more effective parent, taking time to ground yourself spiritually will actually help you to be more calm, it will actually lower your blood pressure (really – there are studies!), and it will connect you to your God and your family.
#3. Emotionally/Socially – This is one gets me. I make time to exercise and I read my Bible and pray daily, but I often ignore my emotional side and put a lot of unneeded stress on the kids and my husband to meet my needs here. The truth is that God has designed us to be in fellowship with other believers, and specifically other women. Take time one a week or at least once a month to spend time with friends. Have a girls’ night out to eat and talk. Join a book club at church (or start one if your church doesn’t have one!). Schedule lunch with a friend while the kids are at school. Take the time to invest in relationships with other women. Expand your friendships to include women who have already been through your stage of life (women with teens or college students if you have little kids) and women who are in a stage of life that you have already been through (newlywed if you have been married for a while and have some kids). This will allow you to form bonds over share experiences and give you women who can help see you through a difficult stage. This will also give you women who you can stand by that are going through things that you have been through. Take time to invest in relationships.
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- abra
on Sep. 3, 2012 at 4:00 PM