Relaxation

A mind too active is no mind at all. ~ Theodore Roethke

As a mother and full time educator, I am always trying to find time to relax and not thinking of the next thing to be done. Most of the year, there never seems to be enough time with children’s activities, housework, and schoolwork. The summer seems to be a bit easier as I catch up on my housework and can read a book or lie in the sun in the afternoon. There are no children to pick up from school, no lesson plans to prepare, no meals to make in a rush – just some time to zone out. The only problem with summer is I tend to want to do all these other projects, now that I have the time, and I still am looking for relaxation time.

I need to find relaxation time all year long. I love to read and could read a good book all afternoon if there was nothing else to do, so I try to do my housework or errands and then relax with a novel or do some work on my writing. This does not always work as something else seems to come up (a child needs to be driven somewhere or the chores take all day, instead of a few hours). It seems a shame that one must schedule “down time”, but as a mother with a fulltime job it is often necessary.
I schedule things like a tea break at the local café with my husband on Sunday mornings, browsing at the local farm market on Saturdays or a walk in the woods. Sometimes I would like to just do something more spontaneous, but that is not always possible with children and work responsibilities. I work out my day in my mind of what I will do and when, adding some “down time” along the way. Sometimes it doesn’t happen until the end of the day, but I am trying to include a break sooner even if I am not finished all my chores. I realize that there will always be something else to do; however I need to enjoy life right now.

Relaxation is not a way to be lazy or shirk responsibility. It is a way to renew yourself so that you can do your job(s) more effectively. I sometimes feel guilty if I am just reading a novel or relaxing on the couch, but I tell myself that I need this time so I won’t burn out. During the school year, I often feel overwhelmed when I have not taken enough time to relax. This is when I need it most, yet there is always so much to do, it is easy to forget until you crash. This often involves irritability, fatigue, headaches and feelings of anxiety. I need to balance my life before I get to this point – putting some relaxation time into every day and not feeling guilty about it. I am still working on this and that is part of becoming a more balanced person.

Okay, break’s over, back to the laundry!