Now I know what you’re thinking. ‘How on earth do I schedule me time into my busy, hectic, crazy life?’ And while yes, people are busy these days, what are we busy doing, exactly? We are busy with our families, our jobs, our friends and the never ending stream of information that we get from social media. And while it’s great to be engaged and in touch it is also a blessing to have dedicated time to yourself so you can unplug, unwind, destress and slow things down.
Psychologically, having that alone time to decompress does wonders to our psyche and wellbeing. It allows us to enjoy the little things that bring us joy such as a hot beverage under a blanket watching the sunrise (or set), getting into that great book, working on a craft project you’ve been meaning to try or simply just being alone with your thoughts.
Alone time allows us to slow down, and our brains to process the massive amounts of information that we are bombarded with each and every day. It is one thing to hear or see all this information and quite another to process it into a useable state as much that we see and hear has nothing to do with our happiness whatsoever. Once we take the time to sort through it all and find out what we need to keep and what we can discard we are refreshed enough to start the onslaught of information all over again.
Me time also allows us to gain focus over what’s on tap for us. It energizes us so that we feel fresh and invigorated to jump back into the fray and continue with our day and it allows us to make better decisions about things. And sometimes we just need to escape the problem and gain a better prospective on everything; working on ourselves from the inside out. Finding peace and tranquility within ourselves does wonders both for the problem at hand and for everyday life itself. It’s amazing what a little alone time can accomplish!
So how do we get this much needed refresher time into our day? Well, we can schedule it much like we schedule the kids’ playdates or a lunch with a friend. Throw it on the To Do List, put it into your phone, make it something that you have to do, rather than something that you may get to if there’s time.
It may mean getting up before everyone else, it may mean staying up after everyone has gone to bed, or it may be something as simple as putting a sign on the door saying ‘do not disturb’ where for that half hour a day you know you won’t be interrupted.
So this all sounds great, right? Except for the guilt associated with not being there for everyone during that half hour of alone time. Instead of feeling guilty, know that alone time is helping you become a better mother, better partner, better worker. It is refueling you to go back at it stronger and more in control than you were before you took the break. It is lessening your anxiety levels, making you think clearly and can lessen your tension. It is good for you and when you’re good to yourself, you’re great to everyone else!
If you are looking for some “me time” then why not look at Marlene’s Annual Fall Retreat. Each year a fall retreat within easy reach of the Greater Toronto Area. Spend some time focusing on yourself!
Learn more about Marlene’s Annual Fall Retreat