What would you do with a day off?
As moms, we don’t often get a day (or minute) to ourselves. When we do happen upon a slice of “free time”, we end up running errands or doing things in service of our domestic duties. Painfully true, no? I once had a friend tell me that when she was visiting her parents with her two young kids, her mom offered to take them for the afternoon so she could have a break and…she ended up going to Costco.
Now, I totally understand this move as the novelty of going shopping without your kids seems like the most glorious opportunity. Especially after months on months of shlepping kids everywhere with you. I too have experience the absolute bliss of running errands sans kids, so I get it. I have been known to blast Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ as I pull away from my home, joyously, miraculously, going somewhere alone.
When asked, “what do you like to do for fun?” or “what are your hobbies?” I used to think snarky thoughts like, “that’s cute, you think I have time for hobbies”. But when I really thought about it, I would draw a complete blank. Historically, I was someone who would have been playing a rec sport, going to yoga or fitness class regularly, hiking with friends, taking a pottery or art class. Yet, these were no longer on my radar. And even now, with a 2- and 4-year-old, my hobbies are few and far between.
I have, however, thought more and more about what things I do enjoy doing and have began to make a list of things I know I enjoy so that I can a) make sure these things get into my calendar b) have something to reference when/if I happen to find myself with some free time.
I invite you to make a list for yourself and use the below questions to guide you.
What things would I enjoy doing if:
I had 15 minutes of free time?
I had an hour of free time?
I had two hours of free time?
I had a half day of free time?
I had a whole day of free time?
I had a weekend of free time?
I had a week of free time?
Answer with 1-3 things for each and try to be as specific as possible. Reference this list for when you are both planning on taking time for yourself and for when you happen to have some unexpected free time. I like to keep my list in my notes app on my phone so I have access to these ideas on the fly, because you never know when a meeting might get cancelled, or plans might get changed and you have a beautiful opportunity for enjoyment!
As I began to ponder this concept of time off as a mom of young kids, I thought it would be fun to create a “day off” experience just for moms. I’m calling it Moms Day Off. This one-day retreat is intended for moms who want to take a day for themselves, but also don’t want to plan the day (because they are planning everything all the time for everyone else). This day retreat is for you if you want to feel truly restored and energized with the time you’ll take away from your daily responsibilities. We will move and we will relax since I have heard from so many that those are the things they crave most in the early years of motherhood. I have taken the burden of planning off your shoulders and have curated a day that will have you feeling more like yourself, lighter, and energized.
Click here for further details.
I hope you will join me in Canmore!
xo Sydney