ChickSpeak

Make Time for Yourself

November 5, 2008 by Alisa Miller

You will be no good to yourself or those important to you if you don’t take care of yourself. Follow these tips for making time for the things you enjoy in life.

Give yourself 10 minutes. Set aside 10 minutes every day that is just yours. Take a walk, read, or meditate–anything that gives you a little boost and some time of your own.
Take a vacation. Go someplace to relax and recharge yourself. Make sure you do this at least once every year.
Be alone. Learning to spend some time alone and in quiet gives you a chance to think through problems, consider what is important to you, and also gives you some important time to decompress from the day-to-day grind.
Wake up earlier. Give yourself an extra half hour in the morning before you start your day and you will discover you have time for some of the things you enjoy doing, whether it be reading the news, enjoying a peaceful cup of tea, or going for a run.
Enjoy nature. Whether you live in the city or the countryside, take some time to find a peaceful spot in a park, by a creek, or anywhere you can spend a few minutes appreciating the world around you.
Be creative. Find a way to spend time being creative by taking up a hobby such as drawing, knitting, dancing, skateboarding, or writing. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, you may discover that with a little practice, you can tap into a whole new world of creativity.
Do nothing. In this busy world, it is easy to forget how to appreciate doing less. Learn how to slow yourself down and appreciate doing nothing for a while.
Buy season tickets. Whether baseball or opera is your thing, buy season tickets to what you love and you’ll be motivated to take that time for yourself during each event or performance.
Give up perfection. For those perfectionists, it can be difficult to let things go before they are exactly as they “should be.” Don’t worry about perfect, just obtain good enough and find the time and freedom for other things in life.
Realize you aren’t the only capable one. Maybe you are the most capable person in your office or at home, but that doesn’t mean you are the only one who has to do the tasks at hand. Let some things go to other people–they will learn more and you will have more time.