6 Ways I Get Alone Time {+ #MomTimeSweeps Giveaway}

This post is sponsored. I received a gift card and products in exchange for my post. All opinions are my own.

If there is one thing I have learned as a parent, it’s the importance of “me time.” I know — that is probably laughable to many of you, but I’m not talking a day at the spa here, folks.

Any time I can squeeze in just an hour to myself, I soak it in. Even though I am extrovert for the most part, I also have this introvert quality that I cannot function without a little time alone, and I’ve found I get grumpy if I don’t get it.

Since I work from home and have 3 kids that I like to take on adventures, squeezing in time for myself is a major challenge. Here are 6 ways I get alone time and make sure I am taking care of me:

• Wake before the kids. Nobody wants to hear this one, but personally my day runs smoother after I have a hot cup of coffee {and sometimes even a shower} before the kids wake. Mornings have slowly become my favorite part of the day to get things done for this reason.
• Get out once a week for fun. I make sure to sneak out of the house for some fun, whether it’s to sing with my choir or to grab drinks with girlfriends. Sometimes I scoot after the kids are in bed, other times, I just make sure they are fed and things are taken care of for the following morning to do my part. I usually sacrifice sleep to do this, but it’s worth it to me to keep up friendships with people I care about.
• I do one thing for myself each day. I don’t watch a lot of TV, so my favorites include painting my nails, going for a run, reading a book or sneaking in a sweet treat after the kids are in bed. 
• Do chores while the kids are awake. I fold/put away laundry while the husband bathes the kiddos. I empty the dishwasher and clean the kitchen while the kids eat. I cook dinner while the husband keeps them out of my hair {on weekends at least}. I do as many chores as possible while my kids are awake or entertained so I can maximize my alone/work time when they go to bed. Because once the kids are down, the last thing I want to do is more stuff for them – ha! 😉
• Do one-stop shopping when possible. Instead of hitting up different stores, I shop at bigger stores like Meijer to get multiple things at once. I love maximizing my money savings, but time is money when you are a parent. And most of us are pretty short on time!
• I take my birthday off. I love my birthday because it’s the one day a year I have zero guilt for focusing on myself. If my husband has time off to burn, he will take off the day to give me a day off — bless his heart. Because between mothering + working from home, I never get days off!

MAKE MORE TIME FOR MOM SWEEPS

What kinds of things do you do to make time for yourself? Share a photo of “mommy time” with the hashtag #MomTimeSweeps, and you could win a $250 Meijer gift card!

Details on how to enter: http://www.meijer.com/content/content.jsp?pageName=pampers

GIVEAWAY

I’m excited to give one lucky winner a Make More Time for Mom prize pack from Pampers and Meijer. All of these items make being a mom a little easier, which in turn, gives YOU more time to just be yourself!

The contents include:

• $25 Meijer gift card
• Tide to Go Stain Stick
• Tide PODS
• Pantene 2-in-1 Shampoo/Conditioner
• Bounty with Dawn
• Pampers Wipes

The giveaway ends on Nov. 4, 2015 at midnight. Winner will be notified by email following and will have 24 hours to claim the prize. Best of luck!
Make More Time for Mom