Three simple steps to more time for you
If you really loved yourself and prioritised your needs, what would your life look like? What would you stop doing?
We must fill our own cup before we can help others. Here are three key steps to finding more time for you.
We all the know the feeling. One minute it’s the beginning of a new day, full of promise to finally conquer that never-ending ‘to do list’. Next thing you know, it’s time to start cooking dinner and your list is still sitting there with only one or two things crossed off – if you’re lucky! As a hardworking mum, you deserve – in fact you need – a little time to yourself. Whether it be attending that new yoga class you’ve been dying to try, or sitting back and finally indulging in that ‘page-turner’ of a book that’s been sitting on your bedside table (truth be told, you haven’t had a chance to turn a single page in weeks). But if we can’t even find time to get through the everyday housework, how can we possibly find any time for ourselves, you ask?!
- Organise. We often waste a lot of time in the long run if things aren’t organised. Your diary should contain every movement you plan to make so you can easily refer to it when you need to make plans! Even better, back this up in your phone in case you ever forget your diary. For some of us, it helps to have a visual prompt of what’s happening the week ahead, on a fridge calendar or planner. That way you can see openings for time to yourself and plan ahead. You could even put this schedule on the back of the toilet door or beside the mirror where you brush your teeth. When time is precious, you simply must plan ahead.
- Prioritise. Complete the most important tasks and then reevaluate the remaining tasks. Don’t be stubborn about completing something if it really can wait. Let go. I repeat, let go….. Perhaps some of your tasks can be left until tomorrow or after you’ve had some time to yourself – know that this is absolutely okay! In fact, you’ll be more effective in the long run. Scheduling an hour of time for yourself is also a high priority! It is not selfish. The reality is, your whole family benefits when you are at your best and, as we all have our limits, you really cannot be at your best without some re-energising downtime. It just takes a shift in attitude about what matters most.
- Minimise. Know that you are allowed to say ‘no’. You’ve been asked to help out at a school function – you usually wouldn’t hesitate to say yes – but you feel like you haven’t sat down in days. It is 100% okay to say no occasionally. Ditch the guilt, know that you do work hard and are completely deserving of more space. It might seem at odds with modern life, but the old cliche, “less is more”, certainly still holds true for busy families.