Yesterday I offered some ideas on time outs for moms, taken from the book, 5-minute Retreats for Moms. Today I’d like to continue with more retreats, this time on the topic of how moms can learn to pamper themselves.
One great tip the author suggests is that moms take a day to be “queen for a day”. On this day, moms are encouraged to take a mini vacation of sorts and do whatever they can dream of. Some things you might want to do include going on a picnic, going to the theatre to see a live performance, have lunch in a restaurant you’ve never visited, be a “tourist at home” or visit a nearby town.
Anther great idea is to take a day (or half a day) to play hooky. During this time set aside your regular routine and simply “lollygag and laze about”. Don’t wear a watch, answer the phone or check your e-mail, simply do whatever you find comforting.
When was the last time you bought something for yourself? Go ahead splurge and get something for yourself. If could be as simple as a bouquet of flowers or a new CD. Or perhaps a pint of expensive ice cream, perfume, or some lacy silk lingerie.
Another great escape is to take a long soak in the tub complete with bubbles and candles.
If you can afford it, have a spa day. Even if you think you may not be able to afford it, check out spas in your area anyway. Some are actually not terribly expensive and you can always save up for your spa day. Another idea is to get someone else to pay for it. When someone asks what you want for Christmas, Mother’s Day, your birthday, anniversary, etc., ask for a gift certificate to a spa or at least have them pay for a day at the hair or nail salon. There are also many products you can purchase that will allow you to have a spa day at home.
I especially like this last one I want to share with you and that’s a reading retreat. As much reading as I do now, I actually read more before I became a mother. The difference now is I read because of my work as a writer. Before, in addition to reading for research purposes, I was able to carve time each night to read for pleasure. Seems like every week I promise myself that I will read a book just for fun but most of the time I don’t actually get a chance to do so. The author suggest that we make the time to either retreat to the library or a favorite bookstore. Once there we should take our time and browse. Find a book that looks interesting and read the first few pages of it. If it seems like something you’d enjoy, buy it or check it out if you’re at the library. And then when you need to escape, a whole world will be waiting for you between the pages of a book.
As you can see the tips the author offers are so simple, you might find yourself asking, “ why didn’t I think of that?”. But wait, there’s more to come. But for now, excuse me, there’s no time like the present— I think I’ll take a reading retreat right now!