Things in our household are going quite well at the moment. There is more sleep for everyone and a bit of a new routine going on with me being back at work. Before I was a mum I worked the exact same type of schedule that I do right now and I was oh so very anal about the 24 hours leading up to my first shift. There was self ordered calm the day before and I would never plan any big activity or stay out past 7 PM. Then before starting the subsequent 2 night shifts I would try to get the most sleep possible and rest, relax and not do much more than that. I would watch a lot of CSI on PVR.
If you know a nurse you might know about this 'pre work ritual', that many of us do. The only sane reason that I have with why we do this is simple; 12+ hour nursing shifts are all consuming and they don't leave you with excess time to do much of anything else during work days. You leave very early, work very hard and come home just in time to have a bath and head to bed. You do this for two days and then you get a beautiful reprieve and have a bit of time off before you do the same thing but at night.
Well, now my life has changed a little bit and it is naturally fuller and I find myself tossing out that old 'pre work ritual' as I try to make more time in the day. So far it is going great and I am really living full. Of course this insight is something you get once you have had to change and I'm not sure if I would have changed had I not been 'forced' to (forced to in a good way obviously!). So, now before my first shift I do as much as possible and before my first night shift I will have play dates and take Ben to music class or just be out and about in the city. Work is secondary now and I want to make all these fun moments with my little boy memorable and special.
Of course I can already hear my own mother telling me to take time for myself..and I do (don't worry mum and dad!). I sleep and will take naps and see my girlfriends. I just spend less time worrying about upcoming long nursing shifts and I spend less time doing this 'prework ritual' that I used to let shape my time thinking that it helped get me organized in some funny way.
Do you have a prework ritual or do you go with the flow?
Looking for something?
Well, Hello There!
Mama in the City since 2008 and blogging since 2009!
My first apartment baby is now a full on boy and we struggle with finding space in our condo for his growing toy collection. I'm also a new mum to our second apartment baby, born January 13, 2012!
I have a husband who is an excellent cook and takes amazing photos. I work as a labor and delivery nurse and really love the work that I do and gave birth to baby #2 at my work place.
I use this space to write about my family and to share my passion about breastfeeding, birth and parenting. I have a fantastic purse collection and have loved watching it grow, mostly lovely gifts over the years from my husband. I currently have a closet full of purses that are too small or impractical to fit a diaper or sippy cup in, and so they are on hold for future years.
Have a question or a comment? Email me! I also love to read comments left on posts, so feel free to leave me a note!
Things this city mama loves
Blog Archive
MITC's Top Reads
-
Back when I had Ben in 2008 I was given an aqua Bumbo floor seat as a baby shower gift; it was a requested gift as I was pretty sure I want...
-
I've got a case of the kindergarten blues and it's not the usual case of, 'I can't believe my baby is old enough to go to sc...
-
This September Ben will be heading to kindergarten and I feel very fortunate to have access to some of the inside scoop on how to help him g...
-
A couple of years ago I wrote a post about how much we paid in daycare fees, $80/day for a licensed at home day care, and it continues to be...
-
What do you do to make yourself feel taken care of? It's so easy to neglect yourself when life gets going in the day to day grind, but u...
-
Life is good when you get to go to parent friendly cafes and enjoy a morning coffee as the tots play. This past week we went to Crumsby'...
Follow Me!
Sites that I read
- A Gift for you (28)
- apartment (29)
- Baby Ben (44)
- Back to Work (38)
- Breastfeeding (22)
- Delivery room (8)
- Dining (15)
- Family (85)
- Favorites (10)
- Gentle Parenting (5)
- Having a Baby (23)
- Hawaii Style (16)
- Holiday Talk (28)
- Hot Topics (8)
- I love purses (6)
- In the News (8)
- Just for fun (25)
- Lazy Weekends (9)
- Mama Reviews It (6)
- Parenting (46)
- pregnancy loss (7)
- Product Wednesdays (11)
- Pure Mama (71)
- PURPLE Cry (10)
- Rainy Days (10)
- Ramblings (63)
- Sisters (12)
- Sleep (23)
- Toddlerhood (34)
- Vancouver (61)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
I have a sort of prework ritual. I work Monday to Friday and on Sunday I go grocery shopping, hit the gym, clean my apartment, do any errands. I like to start Monday feeling totally ready. So I understand that prework feeling. Even though I get off work and have each and every evening to do whatever!
October 7, 2009 at 10:07 PMI hear you sista! As we have discussed I used to have that same ritual before I had my first baby. I would find myself being in a bad mood and worrying about the upcoming shifts. Now (when working and not on mat leave) I would barely think about work on my days off and just enjoying being a mom! Have a good set of shifts!
October 8, 2009 at 4:37 PMThanks Nat! You are a mom-inspiration!
October 9, 2009 at 9:17 PMLove it! Thanks for telling us your ritual!
October 9, 2009 at 9:17 PMCongrats on getting more sleep.
October 11, 2009 at 4:24 PMI sort of have one too. I feel more collected when I get things ready before I tackle the office.
October 13, 2009 at 10:50 AMPost a Comment