This is the first year that I have been without any kids during school hours. FIRST TIME EVER, for 5 days a week. To say that it’s a weird feeling to have all the 6 hours by myself, is an understatement. Last year I was looking forward to this free time. Freedom to concentrate on my business, my blog, having the house all to myself and all the free time in the world (if I ignored the housework of course). It also meant getting the chance to finally catch up with my friends whose children have already all gone to school the year before – when I still had Master 5 with me. All those plans on meeting up whilst the kids were in school, having coffees or watching a daytime movie were looking like it was going to happen at last. Last year was what I called the year of “A light at the end of the tunnel”. Sounded promising right? Wrong.
Reality hits you when the time came. I was excited for the first week. Got a lot done – in record time. Went out by myself, just to get a feel of freedom. Felt great not having to fork out more than $5.00 when I went out for coffee. No, “Mummy can I have a babycino, and a cake?” Bliss. That however lasted – a month. And that was only because I had lined up a few things the month before, to keep me occupied. I got bored in the second month. Things got done too quickly and I felt pretty unmotivated. Loneliness sets in. BIG TIME. You start getting bored, even with lots of things to do. The house from being clean became well, like when your kids were still at home. Laundry – let’s just say, from everything being ready to my husband having to beg me to “Please do the laundry because I’ve run out of underwear”. Mondays became a really depressing time for me – crying each time I started cleaning the house, wondering what the hell am I doing with my life. Pathetic right? The friends that planned to have those coffees or watch that movie with me? Well, they’ve got lives now. They’re all working. I was a little too late. So yes, the light at the end of the tunnel now looked dim and depressing. You feel all alone, and you know if you didn’t do something about it, you’ll hit rock bottom – again. Something you don’t want to go through. So how do you survive this “freedom”? Here are a few tips to keep you out of the rut I went through.
- If you’ve got a business you run from home, remember to go to any networking opportunities that are out there. This will get you out of the house and you get to meet a lot of like-minded people in the process too.
- Get involved with your child’s school at least once a week. This is a great way to keep yourself from being isolated. It is also a great eye-opener to how the school works or what goes on in your child’s classroom. It gave me even greater appreciation for what the teacher does with the children.
- If you’ve always wanted to take up some additional skills or learn something new, now’s the time! Take up some short courses to fill in the time. If possible make sure it’s not online, at least you’ll get to meet people. Look up CAE, the local neighbourhood houses or even a TAFE that’s near where you live.
- Volunteer your time with some organisations. There’s the RSPCA if you love animals, OP Shops, Red Cross, your local religious organisation.
- Join crafting groups if you love crafting or have always wanted to learn about a certain craft. Brown Owls is one of the popular crafting groups that welcomes all, be it if you’re a beginner or an advanced crafter. Or, if you do know of a few mums who love to craft, set one up with your school. Great way to get to know other mums too!
- Remember the book you wanted to write? Well, now’s the time to get it into gear! Research your topic, find out how you can write successfully, find out how you can get published. Get inspired by other writers.
One last thing:
Remember to give YOURSELF some pampering time. This can be done even without going out to a spa or a salon. DIY. It’s so much more different when there’s nobody around at home. And yes, you CAN blast that music and boogie your heart away – it’s exercise remember!
