Sharing a pic from our recent Maine excursion over Labor Day Weekend
I'm reaching out to all those working moms and dads to find out if you truly ever relax. I include the dads, but I know that my DH has no qualms about sitting down at the end of a workday or when we return from a trip and turning on the TV… While I'm sorting laundry, doing laundry, and planning meals for the week. Never mind me starting to get back into full business mode ( which I never leave completely even when we're away)
This is in no way a guilt trip aimed at my husband either. I do not begrudge him that he can do this. I want to know why I CANT! As in I do not allow myself any time to relax unless we are away. And even then, I never can fully relax.
Just this morning, after only getting six hours sleep and waking up exhausted I have divvied up chicken breasts and frozen them into two packages after wrapping them and marking them. I also prepped. Sauce tomatoes for freezing. I have another whole chicken roasting. I've done dishes. I've done two loads of darks and hung up one sent to dry on hangers. I've emptied the dishwasher. I've made the bed. I rearranged flowers and made another flower arrangement.
I also have had 28 ounce glasses of water, 1 cup of coffee, and one piece of my own gingerbread cake that I know is 110 cal. While drinking and eating I read one blog and I've had the news on now I'm writing this post by verbalizing on my speaker app.
I still have to reply to four parent emails, do a deposit for the studio, make another ad for the studio, and wash the kitchen floor. Oh and I really should clean my bathroom.
All this before I have to leave to actually go teach. Today is actually a light day only 230 to 7 for actual teaching students hours.
I try to get in some reading time but I always feel guilty. Like I shouldn't have to feel guilty about wanting to sit down and read a magazine. Do any of you have trouble letting yourselves rest? Would you believe I just answered my land line with my business hello? So embarrassing.... OK, going to clean the bathroom now.
I am super productive because, without it, I truly can never relax. So, as soon as I get home, I start emptying the dishwasher, doing laundry, making dinner, etc. My energy level crashes around 7:30/8:00, and then I read a book & go to sleep. So, I suppose I relax for an hour before bed? It's the only way I can get any sleep.
ReplyDeleteI do get to relax a lot. But I think I also do a lot. A couple of days ago I got very irritated when Greg got home and I was trying to cook three things at once and instead of setting the table, he just stood there in the kitchen, checking something on his phone. I get that he makes all the money, but he also has been sitting on his butt all week in the air conditioned office while I've been in a hot house with only a couple of fans blowing, taking care of all the yard work and putting the house back in order (after I did 99% of all the hurricane prep!) and so the least he could do is put his freaking phone away and set the table. Phew, thanks for listening, I needed to vent about that. Because, you know, I bit my tongue at the time because I didn't want to get into a fight (and diplomacy isn't really my style).
ReplyDeleteSandie, you do A LOT. Maybe you can schedule some downtime for yourself since your brain doesn't seem to let you do that naturally.
I have been making a point to force myself to go out and do Day trips because I would just be doing housekeeping or work if I didn't. In example, weather. Was lovely this past Day and I should've been splitting perennials that have finished flowering. I do enjoy spending time in my garden but this is definitely a chore. . Instead, we went to Brimfield antique show for a few hours and I got a lovely music table for a steal. I enjoyed the fresh air and the people, getting ideas for decorating and looking over things with my husband.
DeleteWhen my kids were younger and home and needing parenting I never seemed to have any "me" time.
ReplyDeleteAlmost empty nesters now and it's still a hard adjustment to relax as I always see that something needs doing.
With Hubs retired we have some chores to finish up before the snow flies here so still busy. I am curious to see how things play out this Winter once there are no outdoor chores tho.