Make more time for yourself~

Summer is crazy busy. Between work, kids, activities, sports, camps and play dates, there is very little down time. I have learned over the years, however, that when I do not commit chunks of time just for me, I am more irritable and less giving. This time has become a necessity, not a luxury. I see frazzled people walking around every day. They are constantly on the go and rarely take time to decompress and rejuvenate. Like a car that you regularly need to maintain and fill up the gas tank, if you let it go and let it drive on empty fumes, it isn’t going to go very far. As soon as the gas level gets to a quarter tank, you fill it up and it is good to go. Why not apply the same tactic to your body? As soon as your energy level drops or you are feeling burned out, you take time to fill up your tank. You do something nurturing. You ask for help or delegate. You take a rest. Do something fun. You can fill up your emotional gas tank, your physical gas tank, your spiritual gas tank, or all of the above. Your mind and body are there to support you in living your best life. It is your job however to nurture your body and mind and respect everything they do. Take survey of how you are feeling right at this moment. Are you drained? Are you stressed? Are you grumpy and agitated? These may be the signals that it is time to decompress and fill your tank. Take some time this week to make time for yourself.

ACTION TIPS FOR THE WEEK:

1. Make a wish list

What would you like to do more of? What activities fill up your tank? Jot down whatever comes to mind. Take more walks. Listen to music. Meet friends for coffee. Purchase fresh flowers. Read a good novel. Keep this list handy so that you can grab ideas when you are feeling depleted.

2. Delegate or outsource

In order to make more time for yourself, you need to be willing to delegate tasks and outsource certain activities. You cannot expect to do everything and do it well. Time is a constant that won’t change, so you need to be willing to make changes and free up some time for what really matters. Ask your kids to be more involved around the house. Ask a spouse or friend to help. Be willing to let go a little bit of control.

3. Avoid procrastination

Often times procrastination leads to pent up energy and stress. Just the act of avoiding something creates mental clutter. If you are committed to making more time for yourself you need to tackle procrastination head on. Pick a couple tasks you are avoiding and break it up into smaller chunks. By achieving these tasks you are ultimately freeing up some time for more joy.

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Key ingredient in rejuvenating yourself~

For the past couple of months I have been a bit stressed. Typically I handle my full plate fairly well, however it has slowly been having its way with me. I feel emotionally, spiritually and physically disconnected. My husband Roger is pretty good at noticing when I am off balance. He has seen first hand how much happier and at peace I am when I take time to meditate, exercise, journal and nurture myself. By the time evening rolls around, it is very easy to cuddle up and watch a good show. However, I have noticed that the more television I watch, the more disconnected I feel. So, Roger suggested I get rid of television a couple of nights a week and read a good book, journal or meditate. At first I pushed the idea aside, but the more I thought about it, the more I agreed it was something I needed to do. Having some quiet time to reflect on my blessings, journal my affirmations, or read a good book is truly food for the soul. Television is a great escape every now and then, but when it becomes mindless time spent, it truly depletes your spirit. I have read many books on happiness and positive psychology, and they also discuss the negative affects of television. Happy people know to turn the television off. So, my wish for all of you this week is to turn the television off for an evening or two, and get re-engaged with activities that fill your spirit.

 

ACTION TIPS FOR THE WEEK:

 

1. How are you feeling?

    The first step this week is to determine how you are feeling. Are you stressed out? Are you unhappy? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Use this as a baseline for where you are starting. You will then be able to determine whether or not decreasing television has a positive impact on you.

 

2. What are you missing out on?

    If you are someone who watches a lot of television, what other activities are you neglecting? Do you wish you had more time for exercise? Do you miss spending time with friends? Do you want to get back to journaling? Do you long for time to just listen to music and relax? Decide what other activities you could devote some time and attention to.

 

3. Just do it

    The first step in making improvements to your life is to simply take action. Instead of wishing your life would improve, you need to be in action mode. Start small and work your way up. Instead of unplugging the television for good (which is simply unrealistic and unnecessary), cut the hours down by one-third or one-half. Then begin plugging in other activities that feed your soul.

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