Allowing yourself some precious ‘renewal’ or ‘me time’ is so important in our daily lives. We live in such a fast-paced world that life takes over and we forget about ourselves.
Intentionally set aside sometime each day, each week, and each month just for you to rejuvenate and renew yourself so you can be at your best. Giving to yourself is just as important as giving to others. So let’s remove any GUILT and EXCUSES for being too busy and start to plan some time for YOU. Here are 5 steps for renewal success.
1. Now is the Best Time
NOW is the best time. Don’t wait until you are nearly having a meltdown and life is feeling too stressful. Plan a break regularly so that you can stay on top of things. Plan a break each day, each week, and each month.
2. Say ‘No’
Become comfortable with saying ‘NO’. You do not have to go to everything that you are invited to. You do not have to break yourself to attend all those functions to be seen. You do not have to have people over because that is what is expected.
Saying ‘no’ enables you freedom and space to do the things that you really want to do instead of doing the things you feel obligated to do.
3. Plan Ahead
Plan ahead and allocate your ‘me-time’ into your diary daily, weekly, and monthly. If your self-care is not scheduled you are most likely not going to do it.
Plan your daily 60 minutes, your day through the week, and a few days each month, and organise what you want to do.
4. Communicate Your Needs
Communicate to others what you are doing and why you are needing some time to yourself. Everyone will understand what you are doing if you tell them why. By explaining your needs for some time out, family and friends are more likely to accept your schedule, and then it will become part of the new normal for you all. They may schedule their time out as well.
5. Remove Your Guilt
Recognise the guilt you may be having about time for yourself. The only person stopping you from having your time is you. Giving yourself permission to have some ‘Me Time’ removes any guilt you may be having and it allows you to schedule some of that necessary renewal time.
Self-care is not being selfish, is not necessary. Giving to yourself first and then giving to others is easy.
