Recharging Your Battery
Running your own business, and being a mom takes a lot of hard work. So does being a wife and having a good relationship with your spouse/partner. I will always remember asking my mom her secret to having a long loving marriage with my dad before I tied the knot in 2004. “Having fun and playing with your partner is vital to the success of your relationship”, my mom once said. She continued with “even when things get busy once you have kids, and are working full time, you need to make sure that you have alone time with Joe. Always remember it's your relationship and your own health that will ultimately fuel your family.” Weekly date nights, and alone time to recharge seemed completely achievable when we didn’t have kids. However, with 3 kids home during the pandemic and working from home, this luxury has seemed like a distant possibility.
Pre March 2020, I was good at carving out time for myself and Joe to recharge. Whether we went out of dinner, I got my nails done, or had a long run to clear my head, I was good at taking time for myself and for our relationship away from the kids. Reflecting on it now, wow, did I ever take it for granted. The last 6 months have been much trickier for us all. I am still able to take those runs in the morning, but time away without the kids has been utterly non existent. Between juggling it all and not taking a break, burning out was a likely outcome. I didn’t realize how much so until this week when my parents felt safe enough to take our kids for a week so that Joe and I could have some time to connect and relax. It was a dream come true!! I felt like we had hit the jackpot!!
With COVID still around us, we knew that we couldn’t go far, but we still managed to escape to a little northern paradise to disconnect and recharge together away from the kids. I have always loved our time together, but this trip was extra special. It was the first time in ages that we got to be a couple again without worrying about our kids. We got to talk without yelling over anyone. We slept in, went jet skiing and even read a book! I will be eternally grateful for the time alone we had together and will be sure to reflect back on it over the next coming months. I realized more than ever the importance of recharging away from the kids even if it's just for a little time each day.
As we approach the beginning of the school year in these crazy times we need to remember to take time to stop to recharge our battery and our relationship as best as we can. With the stresses of life, we need to remember my mom’s wise words. We all know the craziness and the enormous number of ‘what if’s’ that lie ahead. I understand that everyone out there has a different comfort level with what feels safe and consequently, carving time for one’s self and partner will look different for everyone. Just do what feels right to you, but make sure you do it. Even taking 15 mins at lunch to read your book instead of eating in front of the computer can help recharge you. Take time to look after yourself and your relationship. Don’t let your flame burn out. Remember you are the fuel for your family.
