No matter how much you love what you do, keeping a balance between work and your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing is IMPORTANT.
Create Personal Time
It had been a hurricane weekend. I skipped a few "personal" time and the fatigue had stormed my heart and left a trail of emotional debris. Even sleep didn't relieve the weakness. Was it the event, or just my body's edging into midlife that had made me so weary? That was when I started thinking about taking a break.
We are all busy.
Being busy is good but our lives doesn't have to be so rushed that we can't see where the time is running to.
Do you often catch yourself saying:
"I wish I had more time for myself."
"I'm so busy! I don't have time to say 'no time'."
"I'm so tired. I just want to disappear!"
"I need more than 24 hours in the day."
"I don't have time for that and that."
Then you have a crazy, busy life.
We have time for many things but one thing we never seem to have time for is ourselves. This problem seems even more pervasive as we work harder to keep up with life's challenges.
Being busy shouldn’t be an excuse for not spending time on things that help you refresh. Lack of balance can jeopardize our relationships with friends, colleagues and family (with God too!)
We all instinctively know that when we create time for ourselves to follow our passions, do the things that we love, play or even do nothing at all, we end up happier, healthier and feeling better. Having a personal time allows us to de-stress, unwind and refresh. Taking time for yourself allows you to renew, heal, and create reserves of energy and peace.
Create Personal Time
We are all busy.
Being busy is good but our lives doesn't have to be so rushed that we can't see where the time is running to.
Do you often catch yourself saying:
"I wish I had more time for myself."
"I'm so busy! I don't have time to say 'no time'."
"I'm so tired. I just want to disappear!"
"I need more than 24 hours in the day."
"I don't have time for that and that."
Then you have a crazy, busy life.
We have time for many things but one thing we never seem to have time for is ourselves. This problem seems even more pervasive as we work harder to keep up with life's challenges.
Being busy shouldn’t be an excuse for not spending time on things that help you refresh. Lack of balance can jeopardize our relationships with friends, colleagues and family (with God too!)
We all instinctively know that when we create time for ourselves to follow our passions, do the things that we love, play or even do nothing at all, we end up happier, healthier and feeling better. Having a personal time allows us to de-stress, unwind and refresh. Taking time for yourself allows you to renew, heal, and create reserves of energy and peace.
Let's create personal time for ourselves, people!
First things first,
Identify Why You Need Personal Time
Start by taking some time to think through what you really want to make time for. For example, are you trying to connect deeper with God, do you want to read a little more every day, are you looking to unwind with some inspirational music at the end of the day, or do you just want more sleep? Of course, there are different answers to this question, but I feel that going through the thought alone pushes me to identify the specific activities that really help me to recharge my batteries and relax.
Now that you've identified why you need some personal time,
Look Deeply Into The Activities You "waste" Time On
Do you check WhatsApp constantly and end up spending more time on your phone than you planned? Do you answer every personal call in the middle of your work? Do you run to the nearby store every hour to pick up something rather than plan in advance and shop all at once? If this sounds like you, you really have to take the time to organize your responsibilities.
Look Deeply Into The Activities You "waste" Time On
Do you check WhatsApp constantly and end up spending more time on your phone than you planned? Do you answer every personal call in the middle of your work? Do you run to the nearby store every hour to pick up something rather than plan in advance and shop all at once? If this sounds like you, you really have to take the time to organize your responsibilities.
Decide How Best To Spend "your" Time.
How each of us chooses to spend free time is personal to WHO we are and WHAT we do. If you had an extra 15 minutes, a half hour, an afternoon or an entire day, what would you do to make yourself feel refreshed, relaxed and happy? Write a list and keep it handy when you start fixing new dates on your calendar.
Then, carve the the time out of your schedule. When you plan your week, treat your refreshing activities as some of your major to-dos, set time for them in the same way you would set aside time for a big meeting or a project you need to work on.
For instance, to pencil in an hour of “refreshing” on Wednesday, write “catch up on Joyce Meyer's channel” or “take a walk.” Make it as specific as possible.
Work can be stressful sometimes—and while it may be hard to manage, if you don’t take steps to keep the stress under control, it can lead to fatigue and burnout. Decide.
How each of us chooses to spend free time is personal to WHO we are and WHAT we do. If you had an extra 15 minutes, a half hour, an afternoon or an entire day, what would you do to make yourself feel refreshed, relaxed and happy? Write a list and keep it handy when you start fixing new dates on your calendar.
Then, carve the the time out of your schedule. When you plan your week, treat your refreshing activities as some of your major to-dos, set time for them in the same way you would set aside time for a big meeting or a project you need to work on.
For instance, to pencil in an hour of “refreshing” on Wednesday, write “catch up on Joyce Meyer's channel” or “take a walk.” Make it as specific as possible.
Work can be stressful sometimes—and while it may be hard to manage, if you don’t take steps to keep the stress under control, it can lead to fatigue and burnout. Decide.
See to it that you treat your personal time like you would any other project and make it non-negotiable.
Stay Away From Social Media
Stay Away From Social Media
You’ve heard me tell you before, if social media stops you from being great, take a 3-day fast from social media. When I really need to focus, I don’t just target social media however – I make myself completely unavailable.
I turn off my phone, log out of social media, and if I can – yes, I will completely unplug from the internet.
Not only does making myself unavailable keep me from being interrupted, the whole routine of preparing myself and mentally deciding I’m unavailable really helps me to focus on what is most important at the moment, and to refresh.
If you can't afford to be switched off all day, carve out two to three hours away from your phone. You'll be amazed at the difference that makes.
I turn off my phone, log out of social media, and if I can – yes, I will completely unplug from the internet.
Not only does making myself unavailable keep me from being interrupted, the whole routine of preparing myself and mentally deciding I’m unavailable really helps me to focus on what is most important at the moment, and to refresh.
If you can't afford to be switched off all day, carve out two to three hours away from your phone. You'll be amazed at the difference that makes.
Learn To Say "no" And Stick With It
Say "no" to requests to do things that you don't really want to, don't honour God, don't add value or don't bring you satisfaction and joy.
The question to ask is: am I doing these activities because I want to, or because I have to?
How many commitments have you taken on out of obligation, because you felt they were the right thing to do – or simply because you weren’t thinking about it and quickly said yes to them?
Say "no" to requests to do things that you don't really want to, don't honour God, don't add value or don't bring you satisfaction and joy.
The question to ask is: am I doing these activities because I want to, or because I have to?
How many commitments have you taken on out of obligation, because you felt they were the right thing to do – or simply because you weren’t thinking about it and quickly said yes to them?
I’m all for trying new things, but if you’ve taken on too much and are being stretched thin, watch it!
OK, if you don't want to say "no" outrightly, delegate the duty to someone else or suggest someone who can do it as much.
I love this quote:
P.s I said "yes" to so many things at the beginning of the month, I'm afraid it's creeping on my personal time. Need to strike a balance between my work and my health in general. I'll be away for about two weeks. Thanks for being here.
P.s.s I wrote this long post not to feel guilty for taking time away from here. In the long run, it's a win-win for everyone. When you are tired, stressed out and pulled in too many directions, it is hard to give your best . . . and become your best.
I'll BRB.
Stay inspired!
Create A Daily Ritual
This can be writing, listening to music, meditating, taking a walk or even taking selfies. Lol. Make it something you can look forward to. Last year, when I had no job I fasted twice a week, prayed and read my Bible everyday but recently life feels too hectic and overwhelming.
I am recreating a ritual for "personal" time. I have decided to stay away from my phone for a couple of hours everyday. I have also decided it's worth it to get up 30 minutes before the rest of the family to enjoy my quiet time in solitude. To this day it's my time to read, pray, daydream or just bask in the sounds of silence. Looking forward to this time gets me out of bed with a smile on my face.
This can be writing, listening to music, meditating, taking a walk or even taking selfies. Lol. Make it something you can look forward to. Last year, when I had no job I fasted twice a week, prayed and read my Bible everyday but recently life feels too hectic and overwhelming.
I am recreating a ritual for "personal" time. I have decided to stay away from my phone for a couple of hours everyday. I have also decided it's worth it to get up 30 minutes before the rest of the family to enjoy my quiet time in solitude. To this day it's my time to read, pray, daydream or just bask in the sounds of silence. Looking forward to this time gets me out of bed with a smile on my face.
I love this quote:
"Make your schedule far less about what you need to get done and more about what you want to become."
- Bill Hybells
P.s.s I wrote this long post not to feel guilty for taking time away from here. In the long run, it's a win-win for everyone. When you are tired, stressed out and pulled in too many directions, it is hard to give your best . . . and become your best.
I'll BRB.
Stay inspired!
How do you create time for yourself, just for you?
Written by Nwamaka Ajaegbu
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Heart Rays . . . giving light.
