Sometimes you just need to take some time for yourself. In this faced paced world we live in we need to remember the importance of ME time. It’s so easy to flit from one thing to the next without really taking some time out.
I think we need to find out what works for each of us and what relaxes us. It may simply be taking some time out to read a book, go for a walk, spend some time cooking a lovely meal or going for a run. It all really depends on you and the pace of life you are currently enjoying.
If you are currently super busy and feel like you are constantly rushing from one thing to the next you could likely benefit from a slower form of ME time or relaxation. Having a bubble bath with a magazine or trying a yoga class may be just the ticket for you.
You could also benefit from a quick bout of energy to release those stresses, for me I enjoy going for a run as it gives me time to clear my head of my thoughts, especially if I am feeling angry or stressed for any reason. I also find I push myself harder at the gym when I am feeling angry or stressed as well, I find these days are the best ones for attempting 1RM’s (one rep max’s). Afterwards I will generally refuel, shower and then hop into bed and read some blogs to unwind.
Ultimately we need to learn the importance of ME time – and actually give ourselves some ME time so both our minds and bodies can relax. Without this we are constantly rushing from one thing to the next with no time to recharge and rest our batteries and come back stronger than ever (this counts both in and out of the gym).
Being too stressed out (or stressed masked as being super busy – oh yes sometimes you don’t realise you are even stressed!) can often lead to illness and our bodies just not feeling right for no real reason.
Or perhaps you are trying to loose weight and hit a plateau that you just can’t shift, it could perhaps be stress making you hold on to the weight. (There is a more technical reason for it and it has to do with your cortisol levels but to keep it simple pretty much if you are stressed (whether you know it or not) your body may go into ‘fight or flight mode’ and hold on to some of your fat as it is scared you are not going to get the nutrients you need to keep functioning.
I didn’t want to make this a technical post so just believe me when I say that taking some time out to relax and recharge your batteries is a good thing and we need to do it! The hardest part is making it a habit and making some time to do it (more accurately, making it a priority!).
Make it a priority to set aside at least an hour a week for some relaxation of some form and make sure it is truly relaxing and you are not focusing on something else at the same time – this is NOT the time to multi task!
What do you do for relaxation? How do you fit in me time?
I really believe in ‘me’ time. We all need to let go of the notion that taking some is not selfish or because we’re spoilt or something. It allows us to refuel our souls so we have more to give! It also gives us time to get to know ourselves. Like really know ourselves. It can be hard for me to get some me time as a parent, but sometimes (especially on the tough days) even an hour can do wonders. I love to do things like paint my nails, watch some trashy TV or sometimes just lie on my bed with my eyes closed (whether I fall asleep or not doesn’t matter – it’s all about relaxing)! Other times I want to expend energy that doesn’t involve my child, like go out with friends or doing something I can’t do with him (the movies or something) haha. It’s not because of a lack of love, it’s because I love him enough to know when I need to recharge so he gets all of me.
So so true! There are so many mums out there who just don’t take the time for themselves and they just need to read and reread your last sentence! Do something for yourself so you can be more ‘there’ for your kid!
I really agree with what Kez has said. We need to know that having time to ourselves isn’t selfish and often we need it to recharge/re-focus etc.
I love reading and just chilling out with our cats and watching TV. Cooking can be nice, but I really have to be in a good mood to create.
🙂