When I started the Year of Me, my goals for rest were:
- In bed by 10:00 Sunday – Thursday, by midnight Friday & Saturday
- Guiltless napping whenever needed (this is the first day I haven’t taken a nap since Dorothy was born)
Oh, how I love rest! I used to be a night owl, but I think I’ve officially become an early bird convert. Being a night owl worked when I was in college and a newlywed, but those days are over now that we have 4 little ones. Our goal to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and by midnight on Friday and Saturday was fairly easy to reach. There were a few weeks in the summer that we were staying up until 10:30 or 11:00 p.m., and it definitely hurt the following days. I think a big part of me felt like I deserved a few hours of time to just hang out with Philip each night and that we were somehow missing out if we didn’t stay up past 10. Silly, I know. Now that I’ve seen how much more energy I have and how much we’re getting accomplished in the early morning hours, I don’t feel the need to stay up. I look forward to the quiet, uninterrupted time we have together before the kids wake up.
Power Mornings > Netflix Binging
The older three kiddos go to bed at 7:30 and Dorothy has her last feeding around 8:30, so it’s not terribly difficult for us to squeeze in some together time once they’re asleep. Philip and I started a new routine a few weeks ago to start getting ready for bed between 9/9:15 p.m., and we turn the lights out by 10 p.m. It’s very important to us that we go to bed at the same time since we have such limited time together in this chapter anyway. We have been getting so much reading in since we implemented our new bedtime! This bibliophile is a happy camper! We’re getting up at 5:15 a.m. most weekdays. We’re still feeling very rested in the mornings, and we love being able to get our exercise in before the kids wake up.
My second rest goal for the Year of Me was to take a guiltless nap whenever I needed it. I still take naps on weekends or occasionally during the week, but my exercise and better nutrition have given me more energy. More often than not, I opt to get some work done while the kids nap in the afternoon. I try to give myself at least a 10-minute break to read for fun during this time, too. I like to think of it as my mini mama sabbath everyday.
Going forward, my goals for rest are to:
- Get ready for bed at 9:00 p.m.
- Lights out at 10:00 p.m.
- Get up at 5:15 a.m. Monday – Friday
- Nap whenever needed
- Take a 15-minute break to read while the kids nap
Questions for You:
How much sleep are you getting? Do you have a bedtime ritual that helps you transition into slumberland? Are your days feeling frantic? Could you build in a break somewhere in there?
I must have at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night. That’s become non-negotiable. I’ve noticed that I get sick much less often when I get enough sleep, and if I’m well-rested, I don’t eat as much sugar in an attempt to wake myself up.
I have to read before I go to bed. Even if I’ve been reading most of the day, I gotta have a book. Sometimes I write in my journal. I used to always do this before bed, but now I’ve taken to scribbling in it whenever I want (I carry it around with me!). I also usually take a bath/shower before bed, too, to reduce morning insanity. Even if I’m not washing my hair, a nice bath is a great way to wind down.
I’m so jealous that you’re a PM shower girl because that would make the mornings so much less stressful. I’ve been an AM shower girl since first grade. There’s something about a morning shower that makes me feel so refreshed and ready for the day. I suppose the whole early morning workout thing is a contributing factor, too. 🙂 What you said about getting sick less often when you’re rested is so important and so overlooked by most of us. Isn’t it incredible how much weaker our resolve is to eat well when we’re running on fumes, too?
I must have at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night. That’s become non-negotiable. I’ve noticed that I get sick much less often when I get enough sleep, and if I’m well-rested, I don’t eat as much sugar in an attempt to wake myself up.
I have to read before I go to bed. Even if I’ve been reading most of the day, I gotta have a book. Sometimes I write in my journal. I used to always do this before bed, but now I’ve taken to scribbling in it whenever I want (I carry it around with me!). I also usually take a bath/shower before bed, too, to reduce morning insanity. Even if I’m not washing my hair, a nice bath is a great way to wind down.
I’m so jealous that you’re a PM shower girl because that would make the mornings so much less stressful. I’ve been an AM shower girl since first grade. There’s something about a morning shower that makes me feel so refreshed and ready for the day. I suppose the whole early morning workout thing is a contributing factor, too. 🙂 What you said about getting sick less often when you’re rested is so important and so overlooked by most of us. Isn’t it incredible how much weaker our resolve is to eat well when we’re running on fumes, too?