Give me a Break!

The alarm clock buzzer rings, and for a few moments it’s peaceful – that is until everyone else in the household begins to wake up. Then it’s the start to another whirlwind day. Between the errands, the kids’ seemingly constant demands, cooking, cleaning, working and social obligations, before you know it the day is over. By the time the kids are in bed there’s barely half an hour before you find yourself snoozing on the couch, reluctant to go to bed because it only means that you’re that much closer to another whirlwind day. One day you wake up and wonder: Is this what my life will be like for the next 20 years?

It’s easy to get swept up in your daily routine, but it’s important to find time for yourself to re-energize and to regain your perspective on what is meaningful to you. Here are a few suggestions for taking a much-deserved break in the day:

Schedule some “me time.” Mothers are constantly fulfilling obligations to all their family members, but rarely themselves, and it’s exhausting. Marianne Legato, a cardiologist, health advisory board member and author of Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget, explains, “If you never have any time except reactive time – things you must do for others – you don’t have a sense of control. You are interrupted all the time. Your brain has trouble resting even during sleep. Such chronic exhaustion increases the release of stress hormones, and your blood sugar rises.”

So there’s no reason to feel guilty. Taking a break will actually help you carry out your responsibilities better, and you’ll be able to tackle the other areas of your life with more energy.

Me time can be anything you want it to be. The only rule to follow is it has to be spent doing something you enjoy. You can read, spend time with friends or join a class.

Exercise your right to a break. I know, it’s easier said than done. How do you find time for exercise during an already jam-packed day? All you need is 20 minutes a day to reduce your stress levels and improve your mood. Those 20 minutes are time you can put aside for yourself. If you can’t make it to a gym, then buy an exercise tape to do at home. Your exercise routine doesn’t have to become routine; try different types of exercise.

Make a date. Daily routine can take its toll on romance. After a long, busy day it’s hard to find quality time to spend with your husband (who is most probably just as exhausted as you are). So once a week go out on a date with your husband – just the two of you. It doesn’t have to be a romantic candlelight dinner. Find something that both of you enjoy doing. Go to the movies and cuddle like teenagers, go bowling, take a felucca ride, or just go out for dinner and re-connect. The one rule: do not talk about the children, finances or work.

Nurture yourself. Nurturing is second nature to most mothers. But learning to nurture ourselves is something we often neglect. On a rare occasion you can treat yourself to a massage or a facial at a spa. Or you can turn a regular visit to the hairdresser into a pampering session by getting a manicure or a moisturizing hair treatment. If you can’t find time to visit a spa, create an at-home pampering session while the kids are at school or sound asleep. To recreate the spa experience at home, find a secluded area. Play some relaxing tunes, and even light a few candles (even if it’s daytime). Try a simple mixture of soothing yogurt and moisturizing honey as a cleanser for your skin. Just mix one cup of plain yogurt with two and a half tablespoons of honey (add one teaspoon of lemon juice if you have oily skin); then apply the mask to your washed face and leave for five minutes before you rinse off with warm water. (Search online for many do-it-yourself home spa treatments!)

Whether you go out or stay at home, by pampering yourself you’re remembering that it’s just as important to nurture yourself as it is to nurture others.

Take a breather. Meditation exercises give you a brief escape from your everyday routine. As a bonus, achieving a state of calmness and awareness makes it easier to tackle the rest of your responsibilities.

Uncover hidden talents. Have you ever wanted to master the art of sushi-making? Or learn to dance? Uncovering a new talent by learning a new skill is a great way of discovering something new and breaking out of your routine. You don’t have to make a long-term commitment. Opt for a one-day cooking course or a day trip to Old Cairo. The key is to choose something you’ve always felt like doing or been interested in.

Ignore the buzzer. Most of us are jarred awake by a loud alarm clock – that is if the children don’t wake you first. Once in a while escape your morning routine and allow yourself to sleep in. Ask your husband to get the kids ready and off to school in the morning. Arrange their clothes ahead of time, prepare their breakfast the night before and turn off your alarm clock.

If you need justification, take some advice from Health magazine: “Allowing yourself to wake naturally every now and then – instead of to that nasty buzzer – can help you reset your body’s circadian rhythms, the cycles that determine your sleep patterns. Waking up unassisted means you’re getting just the right amount of sleep, and it leaves you feeling rested.”

Have lunch out. One of the steadfast items on every mother’s daily routine is preparing lunch. So for a real break, take the family out to lunch. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion, and it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Go for a quick meal at your favorite family restaurant or grab a pizza. The key is to get out of the house and away from the stove.

Women, it seems, are taught from an early age to strive for perfection. We do our utmost to be ideal mothers and wives. It’s a tall order to live up to, and in order to get a handle on our responsibilities we create a routine to help us manage. But as a result we can often feel trapped. By breaking away from your daily routine every once in a while, and finding time for yourself, you can escape for a short while and remind yourself exactly why you’re doing it. In the end, whether or not it’s out of a sense of obligation, we love our families and want to give them our best!