The Fringe Hours – A Review

What fills you up? What brings a smile to your face feeds your soul?

These are just some of the questions Jessica Turner asks in her new book Fringe Hours. After reflecting on this question, I realized that it was one that I couldn’t answer.

I’ve always felt guilty for spending time on myself, but when I read her quote,

“your life is meant to be lived with joy”

I realized that I’d been living it more in drudgery. What I thought was selfish ‘me-time’, Jessica refers to as self-care. I discovered, as she advises, that I need to give myself permission and grace to allow for that ‘self-care’.

Jessica goes on in part 2 of the book to help you re-discover the things that fill you up, those interests that have gotten buried under the responsibilities of life. She gives practical tips on how to find time to pursue self-care in chapters such as “Embracing Help”, “Prioritizing Your Activities”, and “Using Time Efficiently”.

There are so many universal principles in “The Fringe Hours” – principles that women at any stage of life can use. Though I did notice early on in my reading that this book is geared for the working woman  and that many of her ideas and suggestions depend upon a two-household income.

That being said, if you’re like me and don’t fall into the category of ‘career woman’, don’t dismiss this book. We SAHMs can find fringe hours (aka minutes) too.

Overall, this book has truly helped me in my pursuit of REST. By doing one small thing daily – even just 5 minutes to read, write, or peruse knitting patterns – I’ve felt my tank filling back up.

I’ve felt more rested and able to give back to my family.

And that was worth the read.