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In life, it’s important to have ‘me’ time. Of course, not everyone has this in bountiful supply. If you have a family to take care of, a career and a spouse (or are in a relationship), then it can be that driving to work or your bathroom breaks are the only time you’re actually, truly ‘alone’. For some, that works just fine. We often find that social interaction and engagement is essential if you wish to live a healthy life.
That being said, it’s also important to take time for you when you can. What does this mean? Well, it means learning how to relax and think your own thoughts, and take it easy, and to follow an interest simply because it gives you positive feelings. Of course, ‘me-time’ for some people can involve listening to audiobooks while doing the laundry for the whole family, both helping your family while also taking time to yourself.
So, if the definition is hard to pinpoint, how should we consider the benefits that come from this kind of engagement? That’s a good question, and one we’ll explore together below:
Understanding Your Needs
It’s important to understand your needs. People, especially people who care for their families, careers, and other people in general, are quite easily led astray to focus on other things and other needs, and not their own. For instance, a single mother with only her parents to help her out might find that she runs herself ragged trying to do everything for the child, going without sleep, and ultimately feeling overly tired because of it. Because her child is the most important thing in her universe, it’s not hard to see how she stoically accepts all of this and moves forward with a strength likely unknowable to those who haven’t been in that situation.
But she still needs sleep, and she still needs to relieve stress, and she still has to care for her own daily care. If she fails to do this (understandably) or fails to ask for help, it will ultimately harm the one thing she hopes to do well - look after her child. Even the best mother in the world becomes a shallow version of themselves if going without sleep for two days. So, understand your needs. They might not be the same as others. Could it be that you need to speak to others about your anxiety? Speaking to a professional and potentially even utilizing Penguin CBD or other herbal remedies could help you start to get a grip on it.
Remember - this work is lifetime long. You never ‘graduate’ from needing to take care of yourself. And the thing is, you likely know what kind of help you need or what help you need to give yourself right now. Taking time for you means understanding your needs and understanding the time you need to take to implement that. Then, this becomes a priority. Finally, it becomes self-care. That’s a worthwhile means of thinking about it.
Getting Your Head In The Right Place
Getting yourself in the right headspace is important. It takes time to do that. Have you ever had the feeling that when you’re alone, you’re free to be your truest self? That’s often how introverts feel, as they find themselves able to recharge when alone compared to with a social group.
Of course, that doesn’t mean extroverts don’t need alone time, too. Sometimes, going for a walk with your dog in the local park can be more mentally nourishing than speaking to a therapist for two hours. Of course, that’s not to be taken as actual mental health advice, but it shows that sometimes, we just need time to think through things. No matter if it’s a long walk in a beautiful natural environment, meditating in the morning or simply writing down your thoughts at the end of the day, getting your head in the right place should be seen as mental calibration that helps us all. And if you become a proponent of this, others will too, and the message will spread.
Being Kind To Yourself
Be kind to yourself, if you can. Self-care sometimes means taking a mental health day from work, booking in advance to ensure you have a free day before the weekend to read and attend to all of your home responsibilities.
Being kinder to yourself can also mean simply taking a long bath and listening to relaxing music. It’s a bath bomb you use to enjoy some lovely scents and fragrances. It’s asking your parents to look after your child while you go on a much-needed monthly dinner out. Sometimes, it means forgiving yourself if you don’t quite hit the mark. Self-care is important, and kindness is self-care.
Compare Yourself To Who You Were Last Week
It’s important not to compare yourself to other people. There are a trillion variables that go into why a person might be worse or better off than you, and judging yourself by their ruleset is only going to make you unhappy.
However, it does seem as though thinking like this is our default position. After all, our brains are hard-wired to track our social status and where we fit in the group. If someone near us is thoroughly successful we’re prone to get jealous, or end up wondering why we haven’t attained that.
Taking time for yourself means also being yourself. It means, again, only comparing yourself to who you were last week, rather than who that person is today. It also means understanding that this can be practiced at any time. It helps you take time to reclaim your mind for yourself, rather than letting someone else be the judge of it, which is a notion you have developed for yourself in the first place. Taking time for yourself can benefit your mental health, because it once again helps you understand your situation and what you could do, now, tomorrow and in the future, to improve it.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily take time for you, and benefit all-around as a result.
