Us mums are oh so clever and oh so busy! Year after year (after year!) we organise our kid’s school and extracurricular activities; work tirelessly as our children’s social and events coordinator; ensure that our little gremlins are fed (every single day!) and we negotiate annually with Santa to ensure gifts are under the Chrissie tree despite a few misdemeanours . We are seriously aMUMazing!

One thing, however, that we mums aren’t quite so good at is organising and prioritising regular (yes, regular!) time just for us. Kid-free, obligation-free, vacuum-free, should-free, work-free, stress-free, Scooby-Doo free, List-free…time for us. Me Time. What constitutes Me Time varies from person to person. It could be a massage, meditating, walking, dancing, reading, writing, cooking, a night-out with your besties, a yoga class, a mani pedi, surfing, a long drive, bird watching, singing, sewing, art and craft, time at the library, gardening, a café trip, letting it all hang out at the local nudist beach, sending telepathic messages to George Clooney, watching the grass grow, …whatever it is that you love and that replenishes and reenergises you.

If we don’t organise, plan and schedule Me Time then it simply doesn’t happen. I recently heard a great quote (dare I admit that I think it was on the Bethany Talk Show!?!). It was along the lines of “the happier I am the more helpful to others I am” versus what we often think and apply which is “the more helpful I am to others the more happy I am…”. It’s great and important to look after others, but not at the expense of our own wants, needs, joys and loves.

Taking Me Time is hard for all mums, as evidenced by the fact that so few of us regularly do it. It’s especially hard for single parents and those working long hours or a number of jobs just to make ends meet. However, these are the mums that most need Me Time! What to do?

Here are some ideas:

• Book a fortnightly sitter if you can or try some reciprocal sitting with friends (you look after their kids, they look after yours – try picking friends who have ridiculously quiet, placid, easy children! ;))

• Can’t get help with getting the kids looked after? Try at least every second week to put the kids in front of movie (or 2!) and take some time out for you – no cleaning, no work, no preparing, no over-thinking, no paying bills…do something you love that allows you to still be present if the kids REALLY need you (really meaning fire, flood, gushing blood…).

• If all else fails, load up the troops and go to IKEA. Place kids in the ball-pit and go and have a cuppa!
Please take some time for Me Time and schedule it for a regular basis. Remember, if mumma ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy!

Jen MacCulloch is the founder of Oh So Organised and is passionate about helping people to organise, de-clutter, simplify and beautify their homes and lives. At Oh So Organised you’ll find practical advice, tips, ideas, inspiration, motivation & products to get your home, family, kids, office, life…simply and gorgeously organised! Oh So Organised makes organising oh so gorgeous, oh so simple, oh so you….Visit our Oh So Organised Facebook page at  and our website and blog.  Happy organising!