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Ever wonder how some women manage to raise children, kill at their careers, and stay insanely fit? Jillian Michaels, 41, is the walking, breathing example of a super mom, and considering how she has a 5-year-old boy daughter and almost-3-year-old son, that's no easy feat. The Biggest Loser fitness guru shared her secret to staying sane and balanced: she insists on taking 12 hours a week just for herself.
Jillian is about to begin filming a TV series called Sweat Inc,which she describes as a cross between Shark Tank and American's Next Great Restaurant. Obviously, if anyone knows about spreading herself and her time thin, it's this successful lady.
Not only does she have the same mom duties the rest of us have (okay, it's possible she has a little more outside help, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want to be around to bathe and put her kids to bed), she also has to adhere to a strict work schedule and make sure her physique is in tip-top shape, since her athletic body is pretty much her brand.
Jillian says she takes 12 hours a week to herself and uses it to make doctor appointments, work out, and do whatever else we moms need to do to keep ourselves running. Like lots of other women, she works eight hours a day, dedicates four to five hours to her children, and uses any extra time she may have kicking around (seriously, does she sleep?) to hang out with her little ones.
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Some of us have enough trouble using the bathroom by ourselves during the day, so 12 hours sounds like pure heaven. It may also sound a bit unrealistic, especially for those of us who are commuting, working, rushing home to cook and see our kids, and are then either too exhausted or lacking in babysitting help to just take off for two hours to hit the gym or shop for shoes.
But, if you think about it, we're really only talking about spending a little less than two hours a day uninterrupted and without children. If we can manage to make that work, whether that means paying a babysitter a few bucks so you can work out in the basement of your home while she keeps the kids occupied upstairs, we shouldn't feel at all guilty about doing it.
Our "me" time is what helps keep us balanced and able to continue pursuing our interests and passions. Jillian doesn't feel bad about taking her time—why should we?
Is it realistic for you to spend 12 hours a week without your children? How do you find your "me" time?
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