This is part of a sponsored content series with Domain.ME
Sometimes we just need some time to ourselves. Between the blissful quiet that comes in the early morning hours before kids wake up and late night solitude when tired children are fast asleep in their beds are the in-between moments that I like to call ME Moments. These short moments can be the ten minute walk home from school after dropping the kids off, an indulgent hour for an overdue manicure and pedicure, or the five extra minutes where I just sit and enjoy my cup of coffee before I start working for the day.
Regardless if it’s an hour or a few minutes, ME Moments keep me sane. These little breaks during the day help me regain my center and focus whether I’m working in my home office or traveling.
Last month I joined .ME to celebrate the first ever ME Day at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas where there was lots of learning, network, and even more fun than I could possibly fit into a single day. The idea behind ME Day is that since the calendar is full of days that celebrate the roles we play in our lives, we need a day to celebrate our individual identity. This year I was able to devote an entire indulgent day to me because I was attending SXSW for work.
Being away from my family made it possible to do the things I wanted to do at SXSW without worrying about other work or parental duties that concluded in a celebration that included wonderful food, a fantastic 80s cover band, and time with fabulous friends.
But taking a whole day throws my work-life balance out of whack because it’s hard to devote a whole day to celebrating me. I kept thinking about how I might celebrate the day if I was balancing parenting, work, and the myriad of other things that are part of my day when I realized that it’s the moments in between that are also worth recognizing.
Regular ME Moments can be just as important as ME Day. They’re the moments that keep us sane and centered throughout the year that help us get through life’s day to day.
At SXSW this meant being conscious of what I needed for my sanity during our very busy days. It meant separating from my friends to go to panels whose content would feed my soul like those that were a part of SX Good and about digital parenting, taking a long walk down Sixth Street well away from the conference and parties to see what I could find, and listening to the little voice in my head that told me that sleep far outweighed my need to be everywhere until late at night and Snapchat could help me ease my FOMO (fear of missing out). And yes, it even meant indulging in a much needed chair massage and manicure. Don’t you love my blue nails with the angry taco? I sure did!
Going to SXSW with Domain .ME was an incredible learning experience in so many ways. Content from panels inspired me. Networking made me think more creatively about the work I’m doing and next steps. Time spent with friends made me happy. Now that I’m home, I’m more conscious than ever of taking ME Moments until next year’s indulgent ME Day comes around.
Huge thanks to Domain.ME for sponsoring my trip to SXSW. All opinions are my own.
I love it! Yes we have to take more time to each care of ourselves and have fun while away.
I totally understand. Lately I have felt like I have lost “me” in the every day monotony of taking care of others.
How lovely that you got this time to yourself! I bet it got the creative juices flowing…and it definitely sounds like you appreciated this opportunity. Hope you get another ME day soon!
What a great opportunity to get away by yourself. I am finding the early morning time I have to myself to be fulfilling in starting the day off right. Uninterrupted coffee time is delightful.