It’s that time of year when the winter blahs come on. The holidays are over, decorations put away, and we are back to work. With the stresses of family and work, we cannot forget about doing things for ourselves. When I am bogged down and stressed, I go through the motions of my day to day life, but I don’t feel like I’m being productive or that I’m the best I can be.

One of the worst things we can do as a woman and a mommy is to not make time for ourselves. In the hustle and bustle it’s easy to put others’ needs before our own, especially our children’s. And it’s not always easy to get out of the house sans kids and husband, but sometimes it’s a necessity. You know the old expression, “if momma isn’t happy, no one’s happy?” I can’t speak for everyone, but I know when I’ve hit my limit and need a little time away.

Laughter is the best medicine, right? I think so. When I need to get out of the house, I turn to my best girlfriends for lunch, dinner, or an afternoon of shopping. Sitting around a table sharing food and telling stories and laughing always makes me feel better. I get so excited just thinking about time with my girlfriends. I’m fortunate that I have friends from different parts of my life that I trust and enjoy spending time with.

My work friends: I have made some of my best friends at work. We have the best time going out for lunch or dinner, and we even meet on days off for lunch, just to relax and catch up on life. They are a great support to me because they understand the stress and issues that come up at school, but we can also laugh and have fun without talking about work all the time.

My high school friends: Nearly eleven years after graduating high school I am fortunate that the girls I grew up with are now amazing women that I love dearly and consider a part of my extended family. Though we no longer live in the same area anymore, and only meet up once or twice a year, the time we do have (we still call it Girlfest) is so memorable and always fun. This year we spent an afternoon hanging out, snacking, and playing with the kids, then had a fantastic dinner at P.F. Chang’s. After that we laughed our way through the cheesy parts of New Moon. All in all, it was a wonderful evening. Unfortunately, we don’t get too many evenings like that, but, even though we may go months without seeing each other, we can always pick right back up where we left off. That kind of friendship doesn’t come along everyday. If you have it treasure it.

I used to be the kind of person that hated going anywhere alone, and the thought of eating by myself at a restaurant terrified me. I’ve gotten over that because, as wonderful as time with your friends can be, sometimes they aren’t available. Or sometimes you just need time alone. When you are given the opportunity to go out for a while by yourself, take it! I never realized how much time I spend with others. At work, there are always people around, and at home with a three year old, it’s not always quiet either.

The message I want to send to all the mommies out there is that it is important to have time for yourself. Whether it’s shopping with friends, going out to dinner, or heading out for an afternoon by yourself, that time is very important. You need that time for you so you can be better for your family. Sometimes you need to speak up and say, “I need some me time.” There isn’t anything wrong with that. And when you come home to hugs and kisses from your little ones, it makes you want to snuggle them all the more.

Claire Johnson Claire is a 29-year-old working mom. She has a son, Wesley, who is almost 2, and is in her fifth year of teaching elementary school. Along with teaching, she also works for a local sports team, a part-time job she has enjoyed for 11 years. Her hobbies include reading, scrapbooking, and working on crafty projects. Read More >>