I know exactly what you are going through. I am in the Navy and even before I had kids I had to learn to do that. Which is really hard to do when you are underway for 6 months on a small ship with 300 other people and no place of your own.

I found that my journal was my home and friend. I struck up a fairly strong relationship with it. In it I could write anything and feel comfortable. This could be stuff that made sense and stuff that doesn't. Now I look back at those pages and see prayers that were answered and those precious few that were not (and for good reason). And I wonder why I don't do that much anymore. I used to write pages a day but now I write pages a month maybe. There is so much mind clearing and thought sorting good out of keeping a journal.

The female brain is such a powerful tool. I have found the only way to sharpen it is to think deeply when you can. John Seymour wrote a book on self sufficient living and in one part of it he wrote that if you can graze 20 cows on one piece of property you can graze 20 sheep along side because they are very compatible in their choices of food. Now if you can live a hectic life without your own time you can live a hectic life with your own time (along side) because they are very compatible. And in both cases it is healthier in the long run. One is healthier for the land and the other for your soul....Well it made sense to me... Anyway God be with you in your hectic life.

Your sister in Christ,

Kieva

I love this article! Thank you! My "brownout" time is right before bed. I always, always, always take some time to get comfy under the covers, propped up on pillows and read either a few chapters in a good book or several articles in my favorite magazine before surrendering to a blissful deep sleep. This "me time" allows me to relax, free my mind from stresses and worries of the day and instead focus on doing something that I love and find pleasurable. It sets the perfect tone for decompressing from the days events as well.

I can totally relate and I enjoyed, so much, the humor you injected into this piece.

Like you I was a single parent with two children. I worked full time and tried to take care of myself while taking care of them. It's a tight rope walk.

God brought a great guy my way and we married but life was still very full… just different.

We added one more to our family and then I started to home school and lead a women's Bible Study.

Now, the kids are grown and except for the youngest, out of the house. Now my mind is wrapped around caring for my aging parents and marketing my safety and security web site.

There are nights I don't get to bed until 4 or 5 in the morning and still can't sleep because of the mental activity on the internet.

My walk with the Lord is what has kept me sane and refreshed through the years.

Time with Him lately has been in my heart and mind as I walk through the day He has planned for me. I talk to Him as I live each moment He has planned out for some good reason.

My point in all of this is, the hiding place for me at this point is my mind. It’s where I turn for peace, comfort, guidance and hope when the busy-ness of each day over whelms me. He's still there to comfort and listen in the midst of, what seems to me to be chaos.

God bless you for sharing your heart and mind, even if it is crowded and on over drive. Hugs, Deb : )

Wow! I need this. I have been feeling so overwhelmed and thinking that I'm the only one who feels like this. Thanks for the article!

I am so YOU right now! I know exactly how you feel. I have chatterbox little boys in search of Batman gloves and Spiderman's mask instead of girls looking for princess shoes!

I'm still looking for a good quiet spot :-) Keep looking - I'm sure we'll find something!

Hi Carla,

I can so identify with you. I don't have little kids anymore, although when I used to, I'm sorry to say that I shooed them away much more than I should have.

Even now though, with a full time ministry in a busy church, having no children hasn't made getting think time any easier. I'm a people person, but so often I feel peopled-out! I feel like there' s a place inside of me that should be rounded out and healthy but has stretched itself too thin and is now gasping for oxygen in the form of time alone.

I wonder if it's worse for writers. I feel a desperation to write at times, and do it easily when there's 'think time' but when my time is crowded with people and issues, it's hard to get into the flow.

Its at times like this that I need to get back into the place that proclaims that God is my refuge and my strength and that those who wait on HIm will get renewed in their strength.

The other thing that helps is to remind me of the month I'm in. It's not good to feel like that in October, when theoretically I've had a break over summer and it's a new church year, but if I feel like that in June and July, it's pretty natural. We need to have protracted times of rest for regeneration to help us in the pressured times of a full and busy year.

Thx for this article, I have been feeling like running away from all that's happening around and inside of me as I just can't seem to find that time to say "Time Out" I have been feeling like I am developing a brain cloud coz of all the demands around me and I now definitely know that's it's ok to feel this way and that I am not failing at being a mom, wife and a advisor to many...Right now I am on my way to head a weekly ladies meeting and I dont have the energy but I believe that God will provide me with what I need and after that it's "Time Out" for me. Thx again

Although I don't have children, as a teacher, church worker, seminary student, and daughter of aging parents I've definitely had those seasons of wanting to scream and run away to a quiet place and pull the quiet place in over me so no one could find me . . . ever.

Driving is often my place to put things in perspective. Whether it was the weekly 3 hour drive to seminary or the monthly 2 hour drive to my parents, those hours on the road, alone in my car gave me time to think and to put life into perspective. As I drove away from the center of my activities and the "fires" I had to put out, they seemed to diminish and seem less overwhelming, as if they could be handled.

To all my sisters who need a place to hide and be refreshed, I hope that you find that special place where you are nourished in body and soul.

I have tears in my eyes thinking how badly I've wanted to get away from it all - no husband, no work, no phone, no TV, no demands. My brain is overloaded, too, and am finding it difficult to shut off. My place to hide is on the beach, watching the birds, listening to the waves, smelling the salt water. Maybe that's God's way of telling me to enjoy His creation and to remember that after every wave is calmness.

Good piece. It is both encouraging and helpful. In will share the article with my friends and family.

Blessings to you!.
jasmin

My quiet spot is my small backyard. I live in town but at 7am sitting outside with my cup of coffee is so relaxing because I hear birds and the breeze not the TV, refrigerator, computer, or my 2 boys. I don't know if it is because the open space floats the noise away whereas inside the house noise is confined so seems louder but just stepping outside can be a real quiet time.

I wish I could go to the beach, hike in the mountains and a number of other things, but God has me here, so I find my quiet here - I just have to be creative in looking for it in small ways.

Thank you so much for writing this article. I too can relate to that feeling of being overwhelmed. I sometimes feel like I need to go in multiple directions simultaneously. I find it more and more difficult to just concentrate on one thing a t a time. One change I did make was to silence my telephones. Now I just hear the message being left on my machine and I can choose whether or not to answer the call. One day at a time.

have a blessed day!

Thank you for being honest,so many times we try to be the perfect mom ,woman or church worker. But Gods says that his peace gives us understanding,thus keeping our heart focused where it should be.Thank you for reminding us all in order to complete the various tasks in our lives,and help,direct,give our best we first must have PEACE from with in. Letting us live,appreciate this life as we know and not let life live off of us. Thanks a bunch,walking in Peace.

Oh, this article made me chuckle. How true are your words! How good it is to have a time out of our own! Too bad other people don't see the need (either ours and/or their own). We need to be confident in standing our ground for our brownout mode.

I get in that mode where there just aren't enough hours in the day and so I retreat to my piano and just play or to the back yard and have a cup of tea and look at all the beautiful roses and fruit trees I have. I make lists and just try checking them off as time goes on. I used to make myself sick with heart palpitations and anxiety over not getting it all done until it really put my health in jeopardy. So, I had to decide what my priorities were and go from there.

Even though I am single, no children, I have more commitments outside of work (church, social activities, etc) than I used to. I am trying to set aside a "brownout" time when I first get home from work, wherein I lie down and close my eyes, or work on needlework. Thank you for pointing out that we have a need for this, and that it's okay. In fact, I think it makes us better able to balance our lives. It's not always easy to take time out, however, when chores beckon.