GIVING MUMMY'S ME TIME BACK
Meet Claire, mum of two whose goal to future proof her career has developed into an exciting blog @mummetimebucks on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Designed to encourage, inspire, promote and support mums to take much-deserved time out for themselves without feeling that guilt that we all feel. Seeing Claire's posts remind me that I need to take a breath, I need to stop, I need to take 5 minutes to re-group when the chaos continues around me with juggling children, home life, school, work, and exercise.
Read how Claire launched @mummetimebucks below, I can highly recommend following her blog and don't forget to take her 21 day selfcare challenge. Details below...
Tell me, a little bit about yourself…
I’m Claire, mama to two and wife to one! I live in Beaconsfield having moved here from London three years ago and prior to that grew up in deepest, darkest Devon. I work in PR for an agency called Crescendo PR but have just finished training to be a Social Media Manager with the amazing and inspiring Digital Mums which led me to set up the MumMeTimeBucks blog. I’m a list lover, recovering perfectionist (because I’m slowing realizing that perfection doesn’t exist!), an overthinker and always dreaming of sun!
How did you get into blogging and social media?
I have been in PR for over ten years but more and more we are seeing clients want to add social in to the mix. I wanted to future proof my career by adding another string to my bow (plus I love learning something new!), reignite my passion for public relations and find something which would enable me to work more flexibly around the children #WorkThatWorks. As part of the six-month course I had to run my own grassroots social media campaign and that’s how MumMeTimeBucks came about!
Why MumMeTimeBucks?
I went through a hard time after the birth of my second child – she didn’t sleep well and wouldn’t go to anybody except me (I don’t think she even accepted her dad until she was nearly 6 months!). I didn’t feel good physically or mentally and it really made me appreciate my ‘me time’. Consequently I wanted to encourage and inspire other mums to take a much-deserved time out for themselves. We do so much for others and more often than not put ourselves at the bottom of our to-do-lists. When we do manage to fit in some ‘me time’ and prioritise our own selfcare the dreaded mum guilt often creeps in. I want mums to know that it’s not selfish to care for themselves, it’s essential. You can’t pour from an empty cup!
What's your usual week / day look like?
I work Monday to Wednesday and my husband is up and out long before the rest of us rise so mornings are always me rushing around doing the normal mum duties – getting the kids fed, clothed and out the door to school / nursery. I work from home one day a week which makes life a whole lot easier and the other two I commute to Harpenden in Hertfordshire which means contending with the dreaded M25! I used to catch the train to Reading and I miss my ‘me time’ – it was my chance to read, listen to music, cruise social media or just watch the world pass by.
Thursdays and Fridays are spent looking after the kids – I like to try and get them outside as much as possible (more for my own sanity as much as theirs!) so there are lots of trips to the park, Burnham Beeches, Cliveden National Trust, Odds Farm Park. Plus the usual play dates, daily trips to the supermarket and the odd coffee shop or two (mama needs caffeine and cake!).
I try to fit in a couple of sessions of exercise per week – either a run around town ogling the uber-homes or a class. I love Ride.45 in Chalfont St Giles and there are so many fantastic yoga studios on my doorstep too – Yin Yoga and The Integrative Healing Process, also in Chalfont St Giles are both fantastic. Exercise is my headspace and it always leaves me feeling happy, uplifted and calm.
Weekends are family time, normally spent swimming; going for walks – Burnham Beeches is a favourite and we love visiting local National Trust properties; meeting up with friends; indulging in coffee and cake at a local café; shopping (I didn’t realise having a family meant you needed to go to the supermarket every day!); watching a film.
What inspires you?
Travel! I always feel a greater clarity when I’m away from the craziness of general day-to-day life. And other mums – either friends or people I’ve connected with through social media. It’s so inspiring to see the courage, energy and drive of the many mumpreneurs out there!
What did you want to be growing up?
I had two big ambitions as a child – both of which died a death. The first was to be a hairdresser, but then I cut my Barbie dolls hair and realized that perhaps it wasn’t my calling in life! My second dream was to be a holiday rep – sun, sand, sea, sangria…hang on why am I not doing that?!
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My relationship – I met my husband when I was 12 and we started dating when we were 15. I’m now 35! You do the math. We’ve done so much together, he’s truly my best friend. He drives me insane at times but I couldn’t do this crazy little thing called parenting without him.
What’s next on your to do list?
Setting up my own business offering social media management to small and local businesses in Bucks!
When are you happiest?
Spending time with my husband and kids; when it’s sunny – if I wake and the sun is streaming through the window I feel so much better prepared to face the world; when I’m on holiday; when I’m outdoors; when I’m dancing; when I’m exercising or after exercising!
When was the last time you laughed out loud?
Probably at my little boy. His words make me laugh out loud a lot. Laughing with our children feels so natural and so heart warming. It’s the best kind of laughter there is isn’t it?!
How as women, can we help to empower others?
By being open, honest, and accepting of each others differences! There is too much pressure on us as women to be everything these days and I think so many of us feel a need to have it all, to do it all, and to appear perfect! But life isn’t perfect. Perfect doesn’t exist. I’m naturally drawn to people who keep it real, who tell it like it is. I love Mothers Meeting, the Scummy Mummies and The Unmumsy Mum for this very reason.
What’s your style?
It’s quite mixed but if I had to sum it up I’d probably say simple and relaxed cool. Jeans and t shirt or a soft logo jumper are my fave but I do like a pretty girly dress and I am a sucker for a bit of activewear! Jessica Alba is my style crush. My favourite stores are Hush Homewear, Mint Velvet and Zara. I love the Nike store at Taplow too.
Guilty pleasure?
American teen dramas! The most recent of which was Awkward. I was obsessed! Before that it was Pretty Little Liars. In fact, I’m on the search for a new one to get hooked in to so if anybody has any recommendations?
Life motto?
Life is too short to iron! (my mother is constantly bemoaning my skills as a housewife)
Can’t live without…
My family; friends; sunshine; my passport; music; wine; and me time!
Even just five or ten minutes daily focusing purely on yourself can help you find calm amid the chaos of family life and leave you feeling refreshed, recharged and ready to face the world again! Take Claire's challenge, a list of 21 simple and cost effective things you can do to practice selfcare! Print it out and tick each item off the list as you complete them. Enjoy!
If you want to get in touch with Claire, email clairetdown@gmail.com
