Time. Most of you will agree that time seems to have wings. The hours, days, weeks and months just fly past. We just never seem to have enough hours in a day for everything we have to do. We are constantly playing catch-up and at the end of the day we had barely managed to clear our to-do lists for the day.
In all this rush there is one thing we constantly neglect and that is ourselves. We just never have time for ourselves. Even when we think of making time some time for ourselves we are so laden with guilt that we take no pleasure in that moment and invariably we cut it short, or simply skip it altogether. The result of this is that we start feeling drained, listless and despondent.
Well, today I am telling you that you MAY make time for yourself. In fact, you MUST make time for yourself. It is not selfish to take some time for yourself, but it is actually essential for your overall well-being.
Taking some time for yourself helps to clear your mind of clutter. It helps you reconnect to your dreams and goals. You feel happier. Not only does me-time benefit you, but it also has benefits for those around you. Your happier mood will impact on your family too, as well as your colleagues. You will feel more invigorated and inspired at work which will lead to more productivity.
Yes, I can already hear some of you say that it is impossible for you to make time for yourself in an already over-loaded schedule, but believe me it IS possible.
How?
Firstly, take a good look at all the things on your to-do list. Which of them are the real priorities? Could some of them be delegated, re-allocated or eliminated? Could some of them moved to the Not-Urgent/Not-Important Quadrant?
If you are serious about making time for yourself you have to declare your me-time as important as any other important appointment or task. You have to schedule time for it. Start small, allocate 15 - 20 minutes for it. Disconnect from all electronic devises. You have to guard this time from yourself as well as others. make sure you tell people that you will be unavailable for the next fifteen minutes or half an hour. However, it is important that you plan what you are going to do with this time otherwise it will feel to you as if you are just wasting time. Use this time to get outdoors, or visit a museum. Treat yourself to a facial or start a new hobby. Even just visiting your local bookstore and sipping on a cappuccino will be enough to recharge your batteries. A friend of mine enjoys going to the SPCA in her lunch hour and spending time there.
Putting some time aside for yourself gives your mind the message that you are worth it. It is an instant boost of your self-esteem. It will also give you something to look forward to. It can even act as an incentive to get through your to-do list quicker, upping your productivity.
Making time for yourself a priority can feel super weird at first, especially to those of you out there who tend to value your worth in how busy you are, but in the end denying yourself this precious time will lead to burn-out and even serious health risks. Is THAT worth it?
So, go on, re-schedule and re-prioritize your life, you MAY take some time for yourself. I hope you will share with us what it is that you are planning to do with your Me-Time.
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