Time off can be a rare thing when you are a working mum. However, when you do manage to book time away from the desk, you no doubt want to spend every single waking moment with your little one catching up on the days when you are at work.
So to make the most of your time, follow these helpful tips.
Make a schedule
It is easy to get bogged down with too many activities to do on your time off so write a list. Whether you are off for one day or a whole week, a schedule will mean that you will get to do everything you wanted without losing track of the whole reason you are off work – to spend time with your son or daughter. Encourage your little one to contribute to the list they might have their own plans for your time together.
Put away the smartphone
It is easy to get sucked back in to work mode when you pick up your phone and check your emails, so don’t do it. If you have a specific phone for work, turn it off and put it away. Don’t turn on your computer and whatever you do don’t open your mail – it will be hard not to reply to the endless unanswered emails.
Just be there
You don’t need to spend every single waking minute of your time off doing scheduled things. You need the off time to relax, especially if you work in a pressured environment, so spend some time drawing or colouring with your little one. For a lot of children, having their parent get down on the floor and play with them is better than any activity place you can take them too.
Avoid the cleaning
For some mums, it can be hard to turn a blind eye to dirt building up or to messy bedrooms, but try to. Time off with your child is precious so put off any cleaning until they are in bed. There will always be cleaning and it can always wait.
Go on holiday
If possible, try to organise a little holiday. It doesn’t have to be far away and you can usually pick up a weekend break fairly cheaply but it will mean you and your family can spend time just being together without being interrupted by others.
