10 Minutes a Day — by Guest Mom Jane Maynard
A few months ago, I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a private book signing with Maria Shriver thanks to Silicon Valley Moms Blog. Maria spoke with us about her new book Just Who Will You Be? and then signed our books and spoke with us each individually. You can read more about my experience here, but I will quickly say that it was AWESOME. I seriously came home giddy that night…just ask Nate.
One of the biggest things that hit me from the book and that evening with Maria Shriver was this: Take 10 minutes each day for yourself, alone. Do anything you want in those 10 minutes, but make sure you take them. I love this sage advice and it is something I try to remember each day.
It’s easier for some of us to take this daily 10 minutes than others, whether due to time contraints or personality traits. Regardless, EVERYONE should make an effort to do this, especially you busy moms out there. Maria told us that one morning recently her 10 minutes was just sitting on her closet floor alone. See, it really can be anytime anywhere!
Here are a few things I do to find alone time during the day:
- Lunch. I eat my lunch alone every day. Sometimes that means I eat super early or super late, depending on nap schedules. But if I don’t have lunch alone, by the time Nate comes home at night I am fit to be tied. Seriously.
- I just planted my first garden. It’s a simple perennial flower garden with a blueberry bush. Nothing fancy. I thought I would hate having to tend to my garden each day, but I’ve found it to be a relaxing time. More often than not, Cate is helping me, and those times are fun. But when I am alone watering it is a great time for pondering and relaxing.
- Take a bath. Okay, friends, you have to go buy this bath pillow. I found it at Cost Plus World Market recently and used it for the first time last week. I thought I might never get out of the tub. It ROCKS, in a calm and relaxing way of course.
- Other favorites of mine: give myself a facial, read books, read my magazines that go untouched month after month.
Promise me you’ll take Maria’s advice to heart. Refueling your inner self is key. Not only will you be able to give more to the people and activities you love, but you’ll simply be happier. Let’s end with having you all share your techniques or favorite ways to spend 10 minutes alone each day.
One of the biggest things that hit me from the book and that evening with Maria Shriver was this: Take 10 minutes each day for yourself, alone. Do anything you want in those 10 minutes, but make sure you take them. I love this sage advice and it is something I try to remember each day.
It’s easier for some of us to take this daily 10 minutes than others, whether due to time contraints or personality traits. Regardless, EVERYONE should make an effort to do this, especially you busy moms out there. Maria told us that one morning recently her 10 minutes was just sitting on her closet floor alone. See, it really can be anytime anywhere!
Here are a few things I do to find alone time during the day:
- Lunch. I eat my lunch alone every day. Sometimes that means I eat super early or super late, depending on nap schedules. But if I don’t have lunch alone, by the time Nate comes home at night I am fit to be tied. Seriously.
- I just planted my first garden. It’s a simple perennial flower garden with a blueberry bush. Nothing fancy. I thought I would hate having to tend to my garden each day, but I’ve found it to be a relaxing time. More often than not, Cate is helping me, and those times are fun. But when I am alone watering it is a great time for pondering and relaxing.
- Take a bath. Okay, friends, you have to go buy this bath pillow. I found it at Cost Plus World Market recently and used it for the first time last week. I thought I might never get out of the tub. It ROCKS, in a calm and relaxing way of course.
- Other favorites of mine: give myself a facial, read books, read my magazines that go untouched month after month.
Promise me you’ll take Maria’s advice to heart. Refueling your inner self is key. Not only will you be able to give more to the people and activities you love, but you’ll simply be happier. Let’s end with having you all share your techniques or favorite ways to spend 10 minutes alone each day.
posted by Gabrielle of Design Mom at Wednesday, July 16, 2008
7 Comments:
I put this book on hold at my local library back when Oprah had her on her show... lol. It just came in. I'm looking forward to reading it! Too cool that you got to meet her!
This is such wonderful advice! It's hard to take that time and do something you WANT to do rather than something you "should" be doing. :)
I usually find myself rolling my eyes at celebrity advice but I can't think of a time I was disappointed by Maria.
Thanks for passing this on.
I have a crazy stack of my favorite magazines that I have not gotten to, 9 months worth! My new child is 9 months and having another kid is keeping me busy! Hopefully I can get back to at least reading my magazines for a couple mins a day.
-vanessa from www.inevergrewup.net
amanda... you'll love the book! quick, fun, thoughtful.
heather - so true! the "shoulds" are always running around my brain. you just have to tell them to take a nap!
r-eight - I agree about the whole celebrity advice thing...but you're right, this case wasn't like that at all. and hearing maria speak was 10 times better than her book. I think there is video of our night with her on the Silicon Valley Moms blog if anyone is interested. it was a great night!
vanessa...I have a 7-month-old and a 3-year-old, so I'm totally in the same boat! find that 10 minutes somewhere...you've gotta. like I said, I just wait and eat lunch every day when both girls are sleeping (or cate is at school). it is SO WORTH IT!!!! your magazines miss you, too. :)
Hey! I am in this issue of Real Simple! See if you can find me....my name is Natalie Plummer and I am from Chattanooga.....
(And it is in the "Your words" section.)
Your blog is fab!
natalie jane - I can't WAIT to get home to my real simple and look for you - so fun!! :) (I'll have to finish my vacation in Paris first, though...woo-hoo!)
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