Katja: While my motto is to live every day to the fullest and do every day, every minute, what you love, I understand it is not possible in the modern world for everyone. My friend Claire reminded me of that and she suggests – take at least one day or week, or one day a month, “steal” time from your hectic life, and relax. This is her guest post of today giving you tips how you can do it!

Guest post by Claire Adams Williams

We all have dreams of being social, giving, and kind to those around us. To meet any of these goals, though, we need energy. So how can we best re-energize to face life’s challenges?

People often speak of the value of taking time for oneself as a way to “reward” an overtired mommy and wife. However, taking time out of life to be alone is much more than a reward – it is a smart, proactive, healthy thing that every woman should do.

I used to live at an orphanage in Kenya. Although I no longer live at the orphanage full-time, my work life consists of going back and forth to Africa working with orphaned children through my organization, Hope Runs . An orphanage, I believe, is an extreme example of the pressures existent in our own family lives: other people coming at you with constant, important needs for attention and help.

When I first started living in an apartment on the ground floor of the orphanage, I noticed a strange occurrence: on Saturdays, the orphanage manager completely disappeared. At first, I thought maybe she simply did her chores that day and so was out. With time, though, I learned that Saturdays were her secret to sanity. As the mother of 170 children (with only 3 full time staff), she had learned that unless she closed shop on Saturdays, she simply couldn’t provide well of herself during the rest of the week. She had to take that time to be a better person the rest of the week.

So what did she do on Saturdays? Absolutely nothing. She sat in her apartment, relaxed, and recharged.


Finding the time and space to be along in a regular basis is not merely a selfish way to “treat’ yourself, and thinking of it like this has surely encouraged many moms to put it off for a later date in sake of one more time with family kids friends or work. But if that time is not quality time – then aren’t you doing your friends and family a disservice?

We live in a world of constant interruptions, and with kids, we lose even those activity-less times in waiting rooms or interrupted sleep we used to be able to count on. Once a month, there is nothing better than taking a day for yourself (yes, an afternoon or a morning will do). Making this a priority will restore your sanity and make you a better, productive, and more loving woman for everyone around you. If you are feeling health and happy – everyone’s lives will be better.

HOW TO GET A DAY OFF

Plan in Advance

If you have little ones that need to be taken care of, wapping with a friend, or bargaining with a husband or relative are two good ways to get the time in the first place. Plan well in advance to make sure that the day works for all involved, and then stick to your plan. Surely things that seem “more important” will come up as your seemingly-indulgent day off approaches, but try as hard as you can to adhere to your resolution to give this time for yourself – no matter what else is going on. Remember, taking time off will make you better able to deal with whatever life is going to throw at you.

Be in a Private Space (borrowed, rented, or even your own home)

Although some of you may not agree with this point, I do believe that being in private maximizes this time that much more, and so for this reason I would highly recommend you not using your alone time to go shopping for yourself, to see a movie, or to eat out.

Instead, be alone – be really alone – in your own home or in another’s.

What to do In Your Day Off

That’s yours to decide – but some portion of it absolutely must be relaxing and renewing. If you take an afternoon off to schedule all your children’s dental appointments for the next two years, you’re missing the point. This is a time for you to do nothing, because if you don’t take this time you will burn out. Renew yourself before you get to that point.

Today, I hope you take a moment to at least consider the idea of taking a day out for yourself this month. Mom after mom can tell you that the smart way to be a modern mom is to take a day off from the multi-tasking treadmill.

Guest post by Claire Adams Williams. Claire writes about saving money at ChoysterCash.comfree couponing class or to take part in the $100 April giveaway.

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Guest post by Lori

Katja recently asked me what it means to me to embrace the Skimbaco Lifestyle. Coincidentally, my sister just challenged me to do something completely new. Lucky me: I got double-dared.

Hmmmmm. I’ve been around a long time. What could I do that’s new, that embraces life?
Actually socialize at a party?
Sky dive?
Run with the bulls?
Rent a red Porsche and buy a slit-to-there dress to wear for my husband’s birthday?

Let’s just say I’m not known for being particularly adventurous our outgoing. I quit both skiing and scuba after one lesson, and I always bring reading material to a party in case there’s a spare room and I get jittery from too much commotion.

So — no surprise — I chose none of those things. I found something even simpler, cheaper and more adrenalin-pumping (but perhaps less gratifying for my husband). And I did it on a whim.

After a workout at the gym, I walked to the adjacent Sunflower Market. I bought my groceries and headed back to my car with my iPod still playing.

Voices Carry by ‘Til Tuesday came on (love, love, LOVE Aimee Mann). I sooooo wanted to sing along, but what if someone heard me? I’d be mortified! But I sooo wanted to sing along.

Have I mentioned I so wanted to sing along? Ummm, loudly? It was an unexpectedly warm February day, in which a perfect moment could be had by singing to a great song with catchy lyrics, a driving beat and an empowering feel. But there were people around. What would they think?

I remembered Katja’s challenge, my sister’s dare and the alternative of jumping out of an airplane with bulls in a red party dress (or some such jumbled image).

Shuddering Inspired, I did it. I embraced the moment.

As I walked through the parking lot, I sang, “HUSH, HUSH! KEEP IT DOWN NOW! VOICES CARRY! Ooooh Ooooh Ooooh…”

I wondered what I sounded like without the background music. I wondered what people thought. I wondered if I was breaking the law.

It felt really weird. And liberating. And, skimbaco-me-timbers, joyful!

I did not look to see if anyone was judging me. It did not matter if they were. My heart was soaring, and in that moment I was completely self-contained.

So now, I double dog dare YOU. If you didn’t care what anyone thought, how would YOU unleash?

Guest post by Lori. Lori blogs from a Denver suburb about open adoption and mindful living at Weebles Wobblog . She also dishes about good buys at All Thumbs Reviews .

It is funny how life works…

I just offered a possibility to guest post in my blog, an honor that I have only given to two people so far (before this past week), Melanie Notkin of Savvy Auntie and my mother-in-law Donna Presnal.

Today I received a newspaper from Texas, called Front Porch, and a sticky note in the front page “Look on page 6! D”.

Donna had a surprise for me… Her blog post Time Traveler at Skimbaco Lifestyle blog from last September was published on the newspaper!

PS. What do you think, do we want to hear more of the crazy adventures of my mother-in-law and ask her start guest posting again..? Show her some love, she is one awesome lady and one of my best friends!