"Personal Time"- Can It Be Found?

I get asked some great questions.
Questions from moms seeking ways to do their best.

Recently I was asked, "How do you find "me/personal" time?
Life places so many demands on us as moms.
For those of us who have chosen to homeschool,
We get to be with our kiddos all. day. long.
So, is it possible to get some alone time?

I think so but first this:
The personal time many of us desire usually won't be found,
It must be made.

Creating this kind of space for yourself 
Will once again look different for everyone
But I will share with you where I have made space throughout my day.

First, I encourage you to share your need with your spouse.
I say this for two reasons:
The two of you can brainstorm solutions that you will both be excited about.
And, you will support each other in implementing the ideas.

Here are a few ways that worked for me over the years:

Specific wake-up times and bed times.
By setting a time for my children to wake up
I was then able to rise before them and know 
I had that time before I would be needed.
If a child woke sooner, I simply told him,
"It's not morning yet," and taught him to stay in bed.
Easier said than done, right?!
But once learned, worth it!

The same is true for bedtime.
My husband and I set a time for bed
And our kiddos were taught they needed to 
Stay in bed and be quiet.
This took much training and consistency at first
But again was TOTALLY worth it.

Nap time/quiet rest time.
After lunch, around 1:00, I would read to my boys.
This was the start to nap time 
Or what later grew to quiet rest time.
This was a time for us all to rest from interaction.
I have used this space for naps myself, reading, 
Exercising, making appointments etc.

For specific ways to include exercise, 
I have also done many ideas.
- schedule PE into the week's activities 
- adjust the school schedule to include gym time
- put on a video for the kids while working out in another room

These windows of time change with the seasons of life we find ourselves in.
But I do believe, when prioritized and planned for, they can be made.
As much as I think we can create space for ourselves,
I do think there can be a big obstacle.
So next time when I write, I will ask, 
Are you involved in too much?

Let me know if these ideas could work for you.
Do you have different ideas that you could add?
Are you faced with circumstances that prevent these ideas from working for you?
Please feel free to contact me and we can brainstorm together. =)

Eunora