Happy Tuesday, friends! I was inspired to write this kind of post as I spent yesterday doing some things that I love. I hope you don't mind me sharing my heart today!
Most of you know how much I love and value my Mondays at home. Every once in a while I used to use this day to meet up with someone for lunch, or to take the day to do things that need to be done at home, but it dawned on me recently that I don't really have to do those things if I don't want to do them. It's perfectly okay to spend my one day a week that I have to myself doing whatever it is that I want to do. I'm a grown woman, and I don't have to answer to anyone about how I spend my time. I know I only work a part-time job, and for that I am so grateful since I worked full time for four months in 2023 and it just about killed me, but even in working part-time, the time of day that I work is my best time of day. Do you know what I mean when I say that?
All of us have a time of day that's our favorite, and for me, that has always been early through noon. I love to wake up early, and spend time leisurely reading blogs that many of you write. After that I get up to make lunches, feed the dogs, have quiet time, and then do a few chores before moving onto the second part of my day, which either consists of going to work or getting dressed for the rest of my day. I love these routines, and I love my job! I'm not saying anything different that that today, but my time has come to mean more to me since I don't stay at home anymore. I go to church (and work) on Sundays, I work every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and I spend Fridays with Dad. I like to spend my Saturdays seeing my mom and sister every week (life is too short not to do this and spend that time together), so that leaves me with just Monday that I spend doing the things that make me happy.
So, for the second week in a row, I spent a good portion of my morning outside reading in the sun yesterday. I donned my bathing suit and a cover-up, grabbed my drink, my phone, and my Kindle and I went outside. (I should add that before I did this yesterday, I straightened up around the house a bit, folded some laundry, wrote and published a second blog post for yesterday, started new ones for this week, drank my breakfast drink and talked to my mom on the phone. After all that, I went upstairs to change, then headed out the back door.)
This is beneficial to me for so many reasons! First, it feels amazing to soak up some good vitamin D. I know this may seem scandalous to some of you, but I don't apply sunscreen for the time I'm out there. I'm out early enough that it's the good part of the sun, and I don't stay out long enough to burn. If I ever feel that is about to happen, I would come back inside and apply some, but so far I haven't. It's also good for the pups to be outside with me during this hour every week!
That's just what I like to do on my days off when the weather is nice; but sometimes taking time for myself might look different. It might mean going somewhere alone or running errands; it might mean taking the time to go to my happy place, also known as our local library. It might mean meeting Mom for lunch and spending an unexpected day with her. It doesn't really matter what I do; the point of this whole thing is that it's good to set aside time to breathe sometimes.
For me, each week would also include spending some time alone. Even though in some ways I am extroverted, deep down I'm really an introvert and I love being alone. I love having time to watch movies or a show, or time to read in quiet. I love having a (somewhat) cleaned and tidy house to do things in, whether relaxing or cooking dinner. I know people who like to unplug from online life for a weekend, or who take extended blog breaks. Any of those things are good things, as long as we take some time to breathe by doing things that fill us up. I think that when it comes to doing the things we do as wives/moms/co-workers for the people in our lives, if we don't take time for ourselves every once in a while, it'd be like us trying to pour something from an empty cup.
What do you like to do to unwind or to recharge your battery, so to speak? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all!
P.s. I'm linking up with Joanne for her Tuesday link party.
Good for you! It sounds like heaven and follow the joy is what I always say :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you do this and protect this time! That is such a lesson for all of us that we not get caught up in the busyness and saying yes to everything. Also, love that C. S. Lewis quote. Hope it's a good day at work!
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you and anytime you are at home, you should run out there and embrace the sun. I also believe in not wearing sunscreen for a bit to get that Vitamin D. But, you are going to be mad at me because I am a pest. You need to get my anti gravity chair!
ReplyDeleteHe, he - I told you that you would be mad at me!
This was a great post – thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteI, too, love my mornings. I wish I could find someone to share them with, though, because I live with a bunch of people that don’t want to be spoken to and/or have to think in the mornings. I have found that reading blogs and listening to podcasts helps fill that “social“ in me. Each weekday my alarm goes off at 7 AM… Once seven hits, my day “starts“. Until then. (this morning, it was 530) I get to do “whatever I want”. Today I needed a write a couple of tough letters that have been on my heart and now I am sitting under my heated blanket, reading blogs :) Yesterday I did my nails and listened to a book. Whatever *I* want - ha! I’m glad you have time set aside for yourself too!
This might be my favorite post you've ever written :)
ReplyDeleteI am an introvert too, so the majority of the time, I love being by myself during the day. I like to get a few housekeeping things done and then sit and write or watch Youtube and learn something. Sometimes I will sit on the back porch and just read or write in my journal for future stories.
I'm a morning person and all my high energy is (like you said) from about 5:00-noon. That's when I get the most done. After lunch my energy starts to wane, so I sit and fold laundry while watching a show. I might work on a craft or something creative.
Of course, those are the days when I'm home and don't have little girls with me or groceries to get, etc.
I have certain days that hold certain obligations, so on the days when all of that has been done, then I can count it as "my day" and work on something that makes me happy.
Thanks for sharing! And I love that you are soaking up the sun! It's the vitamin that God is giving you, so enjoy.
Thanks, Holly! I like your saying; it's true!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marilyn! I've started to realize this more and more recently, especially as I've been working and because I'm getting older. It's this reason that keeps me from going to our staff meetings each week at work! It's not required that I be there, even though I'm always welcome. I started by going each week, then I quickly realized I was better using my free day as just that. I hope you enjoy your day, my friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! I will do that, now that I've gotten a taste of how nice it is on the pretty days. You've been doing a good job at convincing me and I am hoping to buy one soon! I'd never be mad at you! You want me to have the best that you have, and I love that you love yours so much. We really did look at one last week at Sam's!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenni! I am glad that you've found your perfect balance for your mornings; to me, it's just a great way to start the day. I think this is why I always love to be up so early, so that I can have the time to do the things that I like to do each morning. I really hate the feeling of having to rush, so I'd do anything to avoid that, if possible!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie! I had a feeling you'd enjoy this one. I love seeing how people spend their days, and the thinking behind it all. I totally would do the same thing as you- count the obligatory days as a job, and having a day off to do whatever makes your heart sing. I love that we have the early morning thing in common; you understand my thinking behind the timing of my days, even if I get off work by 12:30. I'm done by then, usually! Plus, my feet are tired from standing for four hours straight, so I like to come home and put them up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about yourself here today!
I definitely covet my alone time. To watch a show, or read a book, or play games on my phone. It looks like you have a the perfect spot outside to unwind with the pups! My dog loves sunning herself on the deck too!
ReplyDeleteI've read many different articles about how sunscreen actually may cause skin cancer. Rubbing chemicals on your skin and then letting the sun "activate" them basically. I'm not sure what to believe! I do wear sunscreen on my face when I'm going to be in the direct sunlight in the summer, like at baseball games. But I do try to forgo it as much as possible. My kids don't burn - most of them turn a nice brown in the sun, so I can't convince them to wear sunscreen unless they'll be swimming.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had a perfectly wonderful Monday. Hubby and I decided not to go to church yesterday as we had been there so much over the weekend. We drove to Kentucky and had lunch and sat in the observation area of the Cincinnati Airport for a while. We both love watching the planes coming and going. I actually spent a few minutes sitting on our front porch when we got and read a chapter of my current book. Then I decided I needed to get my 30 minutes of daily exercise in, so Lucy and I took a walk. It was such a great day for both of those things. I'm so glad you had a day to do what you wanted, when you wanted. Take care my friend and have a good week.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It's so nice to have a day with no schedule, no commitments, just a ME day to relax, recharge your batteries, do whatever you feel like doing.
ReplyDeleteKirsten, yes! I think that this kind of thing is so good for us all, in the sense that it makes us nicer, kinder people as wives and moms, or even as employees!
ReplyDeleteMegan, that wouldn't surprise me in the least. I'm sure there's a healthy option out there somewhere, but I've never taken time to research. My boys were always like that too! They all got as brown as biscuits when they were little; they still do!
ReplyDeleteCathy, that's so nice that y'all did that yesterday! What a fun and out of the normal day for you both. I hope you came away from that feeling refreshed!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pamela!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a perfect day. It's so important to recharge, and I think time alone is so valuable. I also don't apply sunscreen unless I know I'll be out for several hours. I think sunshine is good for us, and I often wear a baseball cap so my face is somewhat shaded.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a good day, Tanya! I agree about how important it is for us to do this kind of thing. Burnout happens all too easily if we don't make the time! That's true about sunshine being good for us...I often forget that.
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