Annabel Fitzsimmons is a mother of two, a writer, a yoga and Pilates teacher, and the founder of www.clearspaceonline.com.

ClearSpace Online is an online studio that offers tools and resources to live an inspired and balanced life through yoga, Pilates, fitness, nutrition and life coaching.

Visit the ClearSpace Corner each month for tips on bringing balance to your everyday.

Who Is Taking Care of You?

Why is it that, when we become busy or overwhelmed, one of the first things to go out the window is time put aside for ourselves? As moms, we often put everyone else first. But when life gets hectic, it's more important than ever to clear space for ourselves and to keep connected to what makes us happy.

But how do we make "me-time" a priority between juggling kids' schedules, the household to-do lists, and everything else that comes with being a mom? Here's a list of five tried and true ClearSpace tips to help you reclaim your "me-time".

1. SCHEDULE IT IN

By putting your ClearSpace time in your calendar, you are acknowledging it as an event. If the time is blocked off, it's much harder to double-book yourself. At the end of each week, look to the week ahead and block off 20 minutes a day for yourself.

2. CREATE YOUR CLEARSPACE TEAM

Pick a handful of people who support you in your commitment to make time for yourself. Whether it's your friends, family, spouse, or kids, these are the people who will encourage you to "ClearSpace" and will call you to task when you're not. 

3. DO WHAT YOU LOVE

In those 20 minutes of "you" time, do something mindful, physical or soulful. And pick activities that you truly love. Do things that make you happy, that keep you inspired. Let yourself look forward to and get excited about your ClearSpace time.

4. KEEP A RECORD

Write down what you did with your ClearSpace time. It doesn't have to be a long journal entry or even much more than a phrase (although you might choose to journal about it). Writing it down will remind you of how good it felt and will reinforce the importance of your ClearSpace time.

5. COMMIT TO YOURSELF AS YOU DO TO OTHERS

We find it easy to commit our time to other people - the kids, friends, family, work - but it can be hard to commit to ourselves. It is not selfish. It is not self-indulgent. Think of it simply as maintenance and upkeep for a smooth-running "you". At the beginning of each week, remind yourself to commit to yourself as you do to everyone else in your life.

Because, at the end of the day, if you're not taking care of yourself, who will?