Do you feel tired, beaten and worn down? If so, then you need to sit down and take personal inventory of your life. When was the last time you took time to just enjoy being alive? No schedules, no commitments, no to do lists…just a little rest and relaxation doing something you enjoy—even if no one else enjoys it. If you can’t recall the last time you took a time out for yourself, maybe today’s the day to start....

As moms, we tend to get so wrapped up in caring for everyone else that we forget to care for ourselves. But without proper attention we get fat, begin to show signs of fatigue, depression creeps in, we have unwarranted outbursts of anger, and we encounter mood swings.

That’s why making time to care for ourselves is so important. Mommy time outs are essential in maintaining proper mental and physical health. Mommy time outs also teach our children that it’s okay to do something for yourself once in awhile—it’s okay to take care of you.

The hardest part about taking a mommy time out, however, is that a mom’s job is never done. There’s always one more load of laundry, one more set of dishes, another school function to attend, another assignment to complete and a child hollering, "Mom!"

So what’s a mom to do? It’s as simple as "taking action."

And here are some sure fire ways to get mom to take a MOMMY TIME OUT...

• Ask hubby to watch the kids. In only two hours, you can get your hair done, get a manicure, try on a few clothes, and have coffee with a friend. And, in two hours, you can go see that "Chick Flick" that no one else wants to see.

• Start a Baby Swap. Simply put, two or more moms agree to watch another’s child for one to two hours on a weekly or monthly basis in exchange for the same courtesy.

• Join a Bible study. Bible studies offer childcare services for as little as $2 per visit. And if you can’t afford that, there are often grants in place for needy families.

• Schedule an evening with a relative. Have the kids hang out with Aunt Kathy the first Monday of every month and Grandma Miller the third Saturday of the month. It allows for special bonding and gives mom a little "me" time.

• Steal a few minutes out of the day. You can steal time by waking up an hour before the kids get up or stay up an hour after everyone in the house goes to bed. Use that time to read a book, journal, doodle, take a luxurious bath, have a cup of coffee, listen to the birds sing in the morning or the crickets chirp in the evening, or simply daydream.