Women juggle so many roles - mother, wife, daughter, career woman, and so many more - that they feel guilty whenever they spend more time in one role than another.
"When I take time for myself I feel guilty. I always feel like I should be doing more work or spending that time with my family," Jessica N Turner told Propel Women, a non-profit organisation that seeks to empower women from all walks of life.
Turner is an award-winning market professional and an author of the book called The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You. She is also the founder of the blog The Mom Creative, a writer for HuffPost Parenting, and a volunteer for World Vision. To top it all off, Turner is a wife and mother to three children.
She said that guilt is a common feeling for women, regardless of whether they work outside the home or not. "As women, we often let guilt control what we do. We become controlled by what we are 'supposed' to do, instead of embracing the fact that it's okay to leave the vacuuming for another day so we can go for a run," she said.
But Turner said that self-care needs to be on women's to-do lists. It is not a privilege, she said, but a necessity. "Choosing yourself is not wrong. The longer you go without taking time for yourself, the more resentment will fester, exhaustion will set in and you will have nothing left to give – to anyone. Guilt has no place in the decision to take care of yourself," she stressed.
Turner said that once women invest in themselves and practise self-care, then the benefits will quickly become apparent. "Eventually, it will become normal. Your co-workers and family will see a difference. They will see the light of someone who is stewarding their gifts and talents joyfully. Embrace self-care and you will see a powerful, positive impact in every area of your life," Turner guaranteed.
