31 Days of Self-Care: Day 5

I am really enjoying the 31 Days of Self Care challenge. While I haven't posted to my blog about it everyday, I have consciously thought about ways to take care of myself everyday and have even made some progress toward achieving more balance in my life. 

First off, I've been reading. I love reading and miss having it as part of my daily ritual.  Along with the challenge, I have joined the Self Care Salon which is a combination reading group/accountability group. We are reading Cheryl Richardson's -Take Time for Your Life.  I am really enjoying the book. Today's call was great too. Lots of sharing, comparing notes and supportive conversation. 

I've also been giving my creative side some nurturing. In the last week I've done more scrapbooking pages than I have done in months!  It feels good and serves to remind me how much I cherish my children and all that they bring to my life!

Here are some of the layouts that I have done this past week.

 

 

 

It's been a good week.

This week I am going to focus on a couple of things:

1) Aligning my time with my priorities.  I work at home because I want to be close to my kids, available, responsive and involved. I have not been doing this well. We come through the door after school and I pretty much head back to the computer. This is not what I want and I feel guilty about it all the time. It is time to carve out that time and hold it sacred.

2) Boundaries. Along with aligning my time with my priorities, I need to set better boundaries about my work time.  It is not that I have any clients who particularly abuse my lack of boundaries it is just that I have trained them to expect me to be available almost 24/7.  I would like to set specific work hours and do a better job of adhering to them. I know my clients value me and will respect these boundaries.

Thanks for visiting! I'd love you to leave a comment!  I'm off to visit the blogs of other participants and read what strides they are making in their lives.

What are you going to do today to take care of yourself?

31 Days of Self Care

In my daily twitter and blog stalking I came across a wonderful blog and project that I quickly jumped into with both feet. The 31 Days of Self Care project. The idea being that we have to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others. To say that me, myself and I have completely fallen off my own priority list is an understatement. Between the kids, their activities and schoolwork and of course my Virtual Assistant business, I have become the lowest priority on the proverbial totem pole.

It's time for a change.

I was already thinking about it as the new year approached and I took stock of the previous year and the one ahead, my goals and objectives. I need to be on the priority list. My health, my weight, my stress level and my sanity all need to be something that I put on the "to do list" and get it done. It's easy to get things done for the kids, for Dave and my clients but I have not been on the list for a long time. The kids need me. Dave needs me. My clients need me. None of which will benefit if I am sick, overwhelmed or severely stressed out.

So today I say publicly that I will make the time to take care of myself. Each day I will do something just for me that is rejuvenating, invigorating, inspiring or energizing.

Since obviously I forget about myself far too often, I'm making a list of things I can do to take care of me:

1. Scrapbook - I have almost completely stopped doing my favorite hobby. For eight years it has been something that I enjoy doing, gives me a creative outlet and records my family's history. I want to get back to it.
2. Take Buddy for a walk.
3. Use the treadmill that I unearthed last weekend so I can get ready for the 3day Walk in Dallas in November.
4. Read. Take some time to read several times a week at least.
5. Get outside. Plant. Take care of the garden and yard.
6. Cooking and Baking.
7. Designing. I miss designing.
8. Photography. Grab the camera and get out and shoot photos.
   

During the 31 day project I am confident I'll find more ways to take care of myself.

And on that note, I'm off to do some reading for the first "Virtual Book Salon" for the 31 day project, finish a scrapbook page and perhaps even go to sleep intentionally.

Want to join me, find out more here.