How much time each day do you spend doing things for others? Your boss, your children, your partner, your dog. How many hours of your day do you spend doing things that drain your energy?
We all have responsibilities to other people, and we can’t stop doing our jobs or caring for our children or cooking dinner. But in the midst of your busy life, how much time in a day do you devote to taking care of you? What are the things you do that fill your fuel tank back up so you can be the parent/spouse/employee/ friend you want to be?
When was the last time you got a massage or made what you wanted for dinner? When was the last time you picked the movie or went for a walk all by yourself? My clients tell me that they can’t take time for themselves because they are too busy, and something else would have to be replaced. They also have a hard time thinking of things they would do for themselves because they aren’t sure what they enjoy anymore since they haven’t done them in so long. Look at your schedule and at your life and you will see where you are putting your time and energy. Ask yourself if you are putting them on the things you value or if you are simply trying to get through the day. Where does being a strong and whole human being fall on your value scale?
Taking care of yourself can begin with small activities that take five or ten minutes a day. No matter how busy you are, I know you can find ten minutes to spend on you. Maybe you can cut the amount of time you spend on Facebook or wake up just slightly earlier to get a few moments before everyone else gets up in the morning. Maybe you can bring your lunch and take a walk around the block during your lunch break. You have to start somewhere.
The amazing thing is that once you start, you will see other places where you can take another five or ten minutes to do something just for you. And you may find that you aren’t actually taking anything away from something else in your life. In fact, you’ll be more mindful of the other people and situations in your life because you will be more fulfilled and relaxed and have something to give because you won’t be so depleted.
Find out more about how to find time in your day to take care of you at our workshop this Friday evening (March 1, 2013), or call to set up a free coaching session to see how this can work for you!
