Modern lifestyles and hectic work schedules mean it can be hard for many of us to meet up with friends, and no one knows that better than writer, broadcaster, and mum-of-one, Maia Dunphy.
Maia is based in London, but she's been back in Dublin to launch an exciting new Diet Coke campaign to 'Get the Gang Back Together'.
MummyPages caught up with the busy mum to chat about friendship, motherhood, and finding time for yourself.
Maia explains that she loves the idea of 'getting the gang back together', and it's something she always makes the effort to do - even now that she has a toddler to run after!
"We go away on girls nights, two or three times a year. We get 24 hours off," says Maia, who is mum to 18-month-old son, Tom.
As much as she enjoys this downtime with her friends, Maia admits that she felt 'really guilty' the first time she left her son to go out with her friends.
She 'counted the days down' to the next trip, however!
#DietCokePenthouse pic.twitter.com/gVjjqwRCia
— Maïa Dunphy (@MaiaDunphy) February 16, 2017
"You know what, he's going to have a nice time. He was staying at my mum and dad's, they adore him - it's a win-win," she explains.
"If he spends one night away while I'm with the girls, that's great - good for me, good for him.
"Guilt doesn't go away, but it gets easier."
Airport floor picnic! pic.twitter.com/Qu5hDLUlew
— Maïa Dunphy (@MaiaDunphy) January 21, 2017
Like so many of us mums, free time has become a precious commodity to Maia ("To a mum, every hour without the baby is worth three hours!"), but having a strong support network has also become crucial.
The bubbly presenter encountered feelings of isolation when Tom was born, and it was this experience that eventually drove her to set her blog, The M Word, a year ago.
Connecting with other mum friends and swapping tales of the ups and downs of motherhood has really helped Maia to adjust to motherhood.
"Having your first baby is like starting a new job you're not qualified for! Find your support, whether it's the mum next-door, or a Facebook group. I think it's really important," she says.
Maia follows this up with another nugget of advice that we can definitely get on board with - ditch the guilt, and make sure you're getting in some quality 'me' time when you can.
"Don't feel guilty if your 'half an hour' is reading a trashy magazine, or going on Facebook, or watching something - if you have that time, do it," she advises.
"Try and make time for friends, too - even if it is booking a dinner or brunch months down the line."
We couldn't agree more!
Would you like to 'Get the Gang Back Together'? Well, Diet Coke wants to make that dream a reality, with €50,000 worth of getaways up for grabs!
For a chance to win, check out www.cocacola.ie.
