Arrived home from work and realized I was in a really crappy mood. Came out of nowhere, couldn’t pinpoint what was making me so irritable, but I definitely felt it. When I took a look at what I had planned to get done that evening, it just made me more pissy.
Recognizing that this feeling was not going away and probably would become worse, I gave myself permission to scrap my to-do list, make a run to Taco Bell and take the rest of the night off. I watched some videos on YouTube, played a game on my phone and snuggled with the cat.
As soon as I made the decision to give myself this time out, my mood vastly improved. Even to the point where later on in the evening I went ahead and got some things done…happily.
I heard someone recently say that we “wear our busy badge like a badge of honor.” This is so true! If we aren’t accomplishing something, well then, we are just wasting time. Right?
Bullshit! What we are actually doing is wearing ourselves down both physically and mentally. Becoming ineffective and absolutely no help to anyone else. More than likely, we become a nightmare to be around.
Constantly ignore time for yourself and physically it can lead to heart attack, stroke, obesity, diabetes, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and a weakened immune system. It is not any prettier on the mental side. You can suffer from insomnia, confusion, poor concentration, depression, anxiety, irritability and overall mental fatigue.
Me time, even if it’s just 20 minutes a day, has so many benefits. Ladies, why do we not do this?!
Benefits:
- Improved control over emotions and moods
- Avoiding feelings of resentment because we don’t get any time for ourselves
- Feeling refreshed and re-energized
- Ability to think more clearly and make better decisions
- Builds self-esteem when you realize you are important and deserving
- Improved sleep, less fatigue, increased immunity, less tension
- Become a better employee and parent
- Improves concentration and actually leads to increased productivity
- Chance to think deeply and problem solve more effectively
- Makes you more self-aware and grow into a better understanding of yourself
Great, how do I work in me time?
Easy answers are:
- Have your partner watch the kids. (Offer to do the same for them and I’m sure they won’t have an issue.)
- Get an older child to watch the younger ones
- Get up a little earlier in the morning or stay up a little later at night.
- Use your lunch break at work
- Delegate one chore to one of your kids. (Some of you may need to read this post to be able to do this.)
- Eliminate anything from your day that is unnecessary. (Skip wandering around the grocery store, use the pickup services most offer.)
- Consolidate tasks to free up time (Prepping ahead is everything!)
If you have little kids, and you can’t do any of the above, you’ll have to come up with ways to keep them occupied. Let’s not throw them in front of a tv. You already know that is not going to work. Create some activities or find some toys to be pulled out only when you need me time. This makes them special, because your kids won’t be able to engage with them any time they want. Which means, they will hold their attention longer. Some good examples: play-doh, cup stacking, slime or goop, lego kits, gel window clings, etc. Lots of kids just like to play in soapy water, so fill the sink with some toys or dishes and let them splash.
What do I do during ‘me time’?
This is not time to do chores or complete any task that isn’t all about you.
It’s a time for relaxing and engaging in things you find pleasurable.
Indulge in a hobby, read, play a game, just sit and drink a cup of tea or coffee undisturbed, work on a puzzle, snuggle the pet, watch some tv, flip through a magazine or take a nap. Whatever speaks to you.
Giving you full permission to goof off.
Traci
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