Finding me time

As a parent especially a working single parent it can be really hard to find some quality time to unwind, relax and just be me. Life can sometimes seem a constant merry go round of balancing the demands of work, children and housework. Being able to just stop and do nothing can feel like mission impossible!

Since I increased my hours to include 3 mornings I've found that my me time is being even more constricted. I have to choose between spending my all to short free day time hours getting myself fit, healthy and destressed at the gym or trying to tackle my chaotic house.

After work I seem to be too often dashing here there and everywhere to fit in my tasks such as banking or collecting parcels before fetching my children from after school club. Then one or other of us has something outside school every night except Thursday!

Some of these activities are essentials such as swimming and others allow me to spend one to one time with a child whilst the other is out. Generally though by the time I've got the children safely to bed my free time doesn't start until after 9...

So I have some simple little bits that I use to unwind. Firstly on one day each weekend my children know to sneak downstairs (usually after a snuggle in my bed) to watch some TV so mummy gets a lie in. When they want me to get up they bring me a coffee from the tassimo:

 

 

At the other end of the day I like to sink back in my bed with a good book and read. Just at the minute my bedside light isn't working so I have the added soothing bonus of a scented candle:

 

 

These may not seem like much but it's amazing the difference they can make! What do you do to unwind?