Time Out for Renewal and Self-Development – 1

In talking to friends this past weekend, it was obvious that many mothers are suffering from burn out and other stress related issues. They commonly say they wish they could be happier and not so snappy with their children and were trying to work out how to keep their children happier and entertained. 

 

Certainly, looking after the children’s needs are important to all parents and consumes a lot of time, but looking after self needs is equally important. Time out is a period of solitude where the focus is on self-development and self-reflection. It can be an extremely beneficial and self-affirming activity. 

 

Do you give yourself permission to take an extended amount of time away from your children, your work or anything in your life causing you stress and burn out? If you don’t, you are not alone. Most people don’t take time out, but look at the benefits of making this a priority at least once a year. 

• Taking extended time out gives the chance to take a step back and decide how to move forward in your life. When you are in the middle of life and all its responsibilities, it’s easy to focus on survival and not on achievement. Take time out each year to make some life goals. They can focus on your family, but having some goals for your parenting, will help you look back on the year and realize what achievements you have achieved in the previous year and what you want to achieve in the coming year.

• Time out is not a selfish activity, but a time to be critical and honest about yourself and your life. Its focus is to improve your relationships and to help your family and friends. Personal Time Out gives you the opportunity to look at your life and your responsibilities, evaluate what you are doing right and how you can improve those things you feel are not going as planned.

Taking a few hours or a few days out of your busy schedule is not running away from your responsibilities, it is rather an opportunity to find your energy and focus again so you can keep “running towards them” and embrace your life and its responsibilities with a new enthusiasm. Decide to make having an annual personal time out a priority in your life and gain assistance from your family to achieve it.