268 - Busy doing things for others the minute you wake up? Some tips to get you some 'your' time

Busy doing things for others the minute you wake up? Some tips to get you some 'your' time

Sometimes life is just so hectic that by the time you've worked your way through all the tasks in the day there's no time to devote to yourself. Even if you get up earlier or go to bed later in an attempt to extend your day, it may still often seem like there's not enough time for you to do everything. And when that's the case, the first thing you usually give up is your 'you' time.

If you struggle to remember the last time you did something just for yourself, then it's definitely time to break free from the habit of not giving yourself some time off. Here are our top tips on how to get some 'you' time!

Make the decision
Allocating time for yourself often comes down to just making the conscious decision to take some time out. Why not give yourself a break each day—even if it's just 10 minutes or so— to do absolutely nothing? Make this a planned daily habit—perhaps at the same time every day—so that you're guaranteed to have at least some time just for you.

Let others take the strain
If you say 'no' to doing some tasks in order to free up some 'you' time, then make sure you get others to take the strain. For example, if you've said 'no' to doing household chores for a change, then make sure your husband or even the kids actually do them, rather than the chores being left and you eventually doing them anyway. In the case of your workplace, you could start delegating more or even make it known that more workplace support is required.

Don't procrastinate
Avoiding procrastination can help free your mind up and stop you from draining your mental energy unnecessarily. If you continually think about that job you keep putting off, then it will keep niggling away at you and cause an unnecessary drain. Just dealing with a problem in the first place will free up much more of your time.

Break your routine
Breaking habits can significantly reduce your load. For example, you may have got into the routine of doing things just because you've always done them, rather than because you want or need to do them. Routines can be useful provided that the things you are doing are really worthwhile; however, if they're not worthwhile, then try your best to break them and establish new routines.

Find something you enjoy—and do it!
Family and work can take over so much that you may eventually neglect the fun elements in your life. If this is the case for you, then it may be time for you to find or rediscover something that you enjoy doing—and then do it as often as you can. Make sure you then guard this 'fun' time from other demands. It's not selfish to spend some time enjoying yourself!