Much has been said about every mom’s need for “me-time”.
From trips to nail salons, girls’ night out, shopping to eating out, we have a
lot of options. But what if the family’s on a tight budget and though time out may
not be the issue, money is?
Could Mommy still afford
to get some “me-time”?
Of course!
Here are some of my free or inexpensive “me-time” ideas that
you might want to try:
1.
Have tea.
Either I grab a P100 and go to our nearest
milk tea place by myself (I can surf online or DO NOTHING uninterrupted!) or I
buy flavored tea in the grocery and enjoy a hot mug at home curled up with a
good book, inside our LOCKED bedroom or when baby's taking a nap. I recommend Celestial Seasonings natural
teas. Their blends are soothing and delicious.
2.
Swim.
You know that feeling like you’re all uptight
and rolled up, with your muscles unstretched and your mind’s reeling from
things you’re doing, and on what else you should be doing, and so on and so
forth. Moms, you know what I’m talking about, right? Sometimes, multi-tasking
just takes its toll and I end up feeling constricted. A cool swim does wonders!
It stretches my entire body and I feel my blood circulating again (seriously!).
Well, exercise really does this for us but I chose swimming because we have a
pool in our condo complex so I get to exercise for free, plus I can really “get
away” in the pool. Just me and the water. Tip: If you don’t have a pool, I’m
sure you know somebody who lives in a condo near you. Call up that friend and
ask if you can swim in their condo pool for an hour.
3.
Talk.
Talking seems to be most women’s favorite
pastime. It’s a stress reliever. So do it, but try it with your journal or your
phone’s voice recorder, or your laptop’s video camera, in the privacy of your
room. Writing is my method of choice so I curl up with my journal and just
write, write, write. It’s a healthier way to rant away any negative stuff I had
to deal with, and it’s a fantastic way to remind myself of my countless
blessings. Inevitably, most of my journal entries turn to prayers, love letters
I direct to God Himself.
4.
Take a hot shower.
Seriously, there’s nothing like warm/hot
water to soothe those tired muscles, and reinvigorate a tired Momma! Slather on
some moisturizing body butter or lotion after because, if you’re like me, dry
skin is essentially just “bad trip”. I recommend Human Nature’s Body Butter in
Mango Passion or Body Lotion in Vanilla scent.
5.
Have a beauty experiment.
I used to practice doing the smoky eye look
during stay-home me-times, or putting together a new outfit using old pieces I
have in my closet. When I became a mom, I don’t get to experiment so often now
on my best look when we’re about to go out. I tend to just put on whatever is
easiest to find. But now, I’m appreciating makeup a bit more, and enjoying putting
together outfits again during my special alone times. When I can’t go to a nail
salon, I also paint my nails and enjoy the luxury of having beautiful, painted
nails without the scare of nippers. Read more about that fear here http://thegratefulmom.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-secret.html
6.
Go to a bookstore.
Okay, maybe this won’t apply to everyone as
not everybody enjoys reading. But there’s something about bookstores that’s
really comforting for me. I spend hours in OMF Bookstore, which is just near
our house, and I could really de-stress in any Fully-Booked, or National Book
Store. I choose several titles, put them on my lap and settle myself on a seat
or even on the floor and just read away. I also love that I can easily pick up
a book for pasalubong too for my little bookworm, Gabbie.
What about you, what’s your cheapo me-time idea? J
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