Whether you’re a person of faith or coffee is your religion (both are true of me), quiet time is essential.  As a mom, a business owner, and the person who finds all the things around the house, having even just a few minutes of “nothing,” to clear my head and hear myself think, can reset the whole trajectory of my day.  It gives me time to take inventory of where I am, how I feel, and what I need to do in order to fulfill all the roles I play on any given day.

Yeah, I get that.  There are a million things that pull us in more directions that a human is supposed to be able to handle. But let’s start with a few small steps:

Every day, shut the door, set a timer, and spend 5 minutes thinking about absolutely nothing.  No lists, no To-Dos, no thinking about happy hour with that old friend you don’t feel like seeing, nothing.


This is a common practice in meditation and there are so many benefits to it.  It takes a little getting used to, but even just 5 minutes of nothing-ness can do wonders for your brain, your stress level, and your perspective.  It’s a great way to start taking care of yourself.

You can find 5 minutes. Close out Instagram, put that load of laundry down, and just sit for 5 minutes: in the car, on the laundry room floor, on the toilet if you have to (although I wouldn’t suggest that one because I strongly believe that there’s some kind of homing beacon that goes off to my entire family when I sit alone on the commode).

The #1 way I’ve found my longest spurts of quiet time has been since I’ve started getting out of bed before anyone else in the house.

I’ll admit – I am not always perfect at this one.  Shortly after my alarm goes off you may or may not find me in my office chair, wrapped in a blanket with my Bible in my lap, my eyes closed, and my mouth wide open, while my husband shakes his head and says, ‘why do you set your alarm so early when we ALL know you’re going to fall back asleep in here?’

But more often than not these days, I am able to get my thoughts together in the morning and have better intentions for the day when I get even just 15 extra minutes.

In my house, my family knows that Mom has a ‘no fly zone’ every Monday night from 7:30-9:30.  Period. I’m off duty. It’s scheduled.

I realize this strategy may be tough depending on your kids’ ages and your current lifestyle, but make a plan with your partner, spouse or a family member to help with the kids or other responsibilities so you can get some quiet time in for yourself.  You’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to help when they know what you’re trying to accomplish.