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Finding You Time with Steph Claire Smith
Back to Baby Sleep
A lot of people will tell you to say goodbye to me-time once you become a mum. Whilst I somewhat agree, it doesn't need to be as dramatic as that...
The Juggle is Real
We are all juggling so many things. For me, I've got two beautiful little beings now that I get to look after, a career and a business that I can’t switch off from, a body to nourish and move, a partner to support and consider and friendships to nurture. Everyday, my priorities have to shuffle around and the balance can be off some weeks. But consistently, something that I always come back to, is realising one thing I can’t let drop off the priority list, is me-time.
Before I go into how I make it work, I want to acknowledge how lucky I am to have my partner home with me most of the time - it absolutely does make it easier to make space for time for myself.
How I find time for me
What does me-time look like to me? Well that is flexible in itself, it has to be if I want to feel like I’m getting it regularly enough! Honestly it could be 10 mins uninterrupted in the bathroom to have an ‘everything shower’ or really take my time with my skincare. It could be watching my favourite show on the couch after the kids have gone down, or following a Kic workout without dodging monster trucks in the living room. Whatever it looks like on any given day, I try my hardest to ensure it happens. When I don’t, the mum rage from being overwhelmed and touched out tends to rear its head, and that doesn't make anyone in the house feel very good.
Making it happen
So, one thing I’ve really had to do to ensure this me-time happens is actually ask for it. And no, I don't mean ask for permission, so maybe the word ask isn't quite the right word… but I do set an intention and make that pretty clear to my husband. I always need to remind myself that he cannot read my mind. So if internally I've made the decision to have a nice long shower or set up a workout station - I’ll tell him, so he knows to keep an eye on Billie.
And of course, there’s plenty of times where he isn't around or can't help out, so my long shower becomes one with Billie in the bouncer in the bathroom with me, and its just luck of the draw if shes happy to be there or not - or I'll try squeeze in my workouts during her naps, and sometimes that means I hit pause a few times to resettle her and that is what it is.
Make a "Moment-For-Mum" list
A tip I once saw online about finding time for me-time while looking after a little bubba at home is to:
- Have a list handy of small things that fill up your cup that don't take too long
- Keep the list somewhere handy, for the days where bub actually successfully goes down (and stays down) for a nap and you have some time on your hands!
Too often I think we catch ourselves looking at the baby monitor in awe and then getting stuck scrolling on social media when they're asleep, that before we know it - they're awake again and that time scrolling hasn't really given us the feels we were after! I constantly catch my friends saying things like “Ah I should've used that time to catch up on my favourite show!” or “I really could've fit in a workout, I just didn't think they'd sleep this long!” . This is why I love our mini 5-10 min workouts on Kic, because it's so true, sometimes our me-time is dictated by bubs naps and that's not always predictable! I'm constantly following 5-10 min classes instead of longer ones so that if she wakes earlier I’ve at least completed something for myself, and if she happens to stay asleep longer, I’ll just keep stacking on more 5 min classes until I’m finished or she’s awake!.
Me time looks different. For now...
I've really taken the pressure off what me-time looks like or how long it goes for - as long as it's doing what it's meant to and filling up my cup (even just a little) I’m happy
Use all the time-saving hacks you can...
Being as efficient as possible is also so important, especially for those middle of the night feeds when you need to conserve energy and just need to get back to sleep. Twin zips for easy nappy changes is so underrated and means I don't have to completely wrap or re-wrap in the night which I love. Check out my full review of the Swaddle Up™ on my Instagram
It's A Season
I think coming into motherhood second time around I know that more me-time comes with time. As they get older there’s a bit more of a routine to go by - for now, in this season of life, I'm taking what I can when I can, and embracing the nap trapped moments, the days where I don't change out of my pj’s, and the several days that I can go without a proper shower. Because it’s not forever. And I’m making a promise to myself that, when I do have opportunities to do something for myself… I take it. And so should you 💕
- Steph
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Meet Steph Claire Smith
Steph Claire Smith is a leading Australian influencer, entrepreneur, health advocate, and co-founder of wellness brand KIC - an app and movement that challenges the relationship people have with wellness and themselves. As a new second time mum herself, Steph is passionate about empowering parents with practical tools, honest conversations, and supportive communities to help navigate the journey of parenthood. Her relatable approach and dedication to family wellbeing have made her a trusted voice for millions of parents across Australia and beyond.