How to Find Time for Relaxation During Maternity Leave

Question

I'll be on maternity leave for 4 months, unable to plan outdoor trips and staying at home with only two people around - me and the baby. How can I make the most of this break to rejuvenate my mind without feeling like I'm wasting time? And how do I balance my time between taking care of the baby and taking care of myself?

Answer 1

Don't expect to have much, if any time for activities other than caring for your baby. Taking care of an infant is normally very time-consuming, and should be prioritized before hobbies.

One thing you can do though is get a really good smartphone you can bring with you at all times; it could serve as a digital hub for staying up to date with news, communicating with friends etc. at times when the baby sleeps.

Answer 2

My wife had the same doubt before the labor. She was in the end of her PhD, she managed to end it on February and our little girl was born in March. She is getting help from both grandmothers, she likes to take care of the house, and she barelly has time to do that.

And she still feels she is not doing a good use of the time, because even not having much free time during the day, she feels she's loosing her time because she can't see any improve in her career, etc.

What has worked is reading: take the time to read things that you'll need later. Improve your knowledge.