Me-time is always the first to go.
In a life crammed with work, family, friends, 24-hour news, late-night shopping and so on. But experts say it’s not an indulgence — it’s vital for your wellbeing. “Spending time alone is essential to recharge one’s batteries and deal with what has happened during the day. If no personal time is taken, the day’s stresses pile up and little nuisances that you could’ve coped with mount up and seem overwhelming,” says clinical psychologist Jaci Henry.
Taking time-out also allows us to exercise our imaginations and creativity, which we need to solve problems. When we don’t get enough solitude, we lose touch with ourselves, and get forgetful and sloppy. Depending on your personality, you can get angry, anxious and depressed as well, says Henry. And when you leave yourself off the priority list, you actually cheat those you love out of the “whole” you.
WHERE DO I FIND THE TIME
The average person wastes about two hours every workday surfing the internet, reading chain emails, gossiping in the kitchen or simply zoning out. Then she goes home and watches up to two hours of television.”Not having enough time for time-out reflects a need for re-prioritising,” says Henry. Women, especially, are programmed to sacrifice personal time. The pressure of balancing a career, childcare, marriage, household chores and community responsibilities leaves little room for unplanned activities.
“You needn’t spend the whole day at the spa; just take 15 minutes. Think of times when you felt stressed and try come up with ways to manage it. This will help to maintain your emotional balance and a feeling of self-control. And when it can be done in just a few minutes, no-one can claim not to have the time,” says Henry.
WHAT WOULD I DO
Those well-practiced in the art of solitude know that aloneness is not the same as loneliness. When we’re alone, we’re actually in good company; we have our own undivided attention. And there’s the delight that comes from being unproductive, from having the freedom to daydream, to think or not think, to wonder, to pro-cess the past or to make plans for the future.
HERE’S HOW:
Use the alone-time you already have more productively. Avoid switching on the radio when you get into the car, plugging in your headphones at gym or reaching for you cellphone as you walk down the street. Use this time for quiet reflection.
Set aside 15 minutes each day. Spend your lunchbreak people-watching or reading a book.
Then aim for half an hour. Do nothing at all or choose an activity that allows you mental space, like walking or meditating.
Don’t prolong friendships you’ve outgrown. When you no longer have things in common with people or you don’t look forward to seeing them, end it. This will free you up to spend more time with yourself.
Know less about Britney Spears, and more about you. Do you really need to know who’s dumping who in Hollywood Learn to delegate. How much of your me-time poverty is because you insist on doing everything yourselfo If your partner offers to make dinner, let him.
Take a break from machines. Turn off all computers, telephones, pagers, answering machines, radios and television sets for 10 minutes and let the silence calm and clear your mind.
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