Do you need to prioritise time for you in your crazy life?

If the answer is ‘’yes’ you are not alone, as increasing numbers of us hurl ourselves between task and activity, intent on cramming as much as possible into our hectic lives.

There is truth in the saying ‘it’s good to be busy’, but it is not the ‘whole’ of the truth, as we also need time to be on our own, without a to-do list or pre-planned activity.

While many of us recognise the benefit and importance of making the space to focus on self-care – we don’t seem to be able to make the leap to making it a priority.

Some of you will be managing to invest in ‘me time’, while those of you who tend to operate with a triple booked diary probably need to block out some space and write the words ‘time for me’ in it. If you have been overloaded with work, life tasks and activities, then your need for self-care time will be greater than ever.

We can say we don’t have time for such an indulgence with utterings of ‘chance would be fine thing’, but in reality, what we mean is we don’t prioritise it.

I remain fascinated at how regularly we humans make illogical choices for our wellbeing. We may know and understand the benefit and importance of ‘me time’, yet still not do it. Part of the answer to this is rooted in our perceptions around self-validation, and beliefs about what we ‘deserve’ or how we will be judged by societal values. Unfortunately, this can mean we continue to de-prioritise our wellbeing and mental health.

Maybe you have had a busy few weeks and you would really like to spend your weekend pottering about at home and doing whatever you fancy – maybe even stay in bed and listening to pod casts or meditations until lunch time. While you like the sound of this, a little voice in your head whispers ‘but you can’t waste a WHOLE weekend doing NOTHING’. From here you start to wonder whether you should at least tackle one of your DIY projects, or clear out your wardrobe, so you have something to show at the end of it and, sometimes more importantly, report on.

As a society we have become slightly obsessed with being able to report on how we spend our time, even if we aren’t posting on social media we can feel pressure to have something admirable to say in response to ‘what did you do at the weekend?’. If we are taking down time then we need to be ‘on retreat’ or ‘hanging with friends’, but actually – you are allowed to just go on retreat in your own home. Take time out to just be in the moment do whatever you choose in the moment – even if it is doing nothing.

The only way you will be able to do this is if you give yourself permission to have nothing to report on at the end of it. Let go of comparisons and ‘shoulds’. No, you didn’t blast through your to-do list – or even get on top of the washing – you just did whatever you felt like, and don’t you feel great for it!

I invite you to meet yourself in the moment and just decide what feels right for you. That will be really scary for some of you, so if this is you, maybe start with just an hour.

You may be in the mood for puzzles or crosswords, which would feed your mental energy. Perhaps you want to spend time in the garden which is great for you spirit energy. Maybe you would like to lay on the sofa and listen to a podcast – perhaps some mediation. You could take a bath or even go for a run, or walk in the woods. There are literally no rules – as long as it feels like downtime to you!

The more opportunities you take to be connected to yourself, in the moment, and understand what will most nurture you at that point in time, the more you will invest in your wellbeing, energy and mental health. When you do this, it gives you more energy for all of that duty you fill most of your days with.

We think we don’t have time, but this is rarely true. Can you grab 20 minutes at lunch time, or the end of the day? Perhaps Saturday morning before anyone else gets up, or maybe Sunday afternoon? If it is important to you, you can find time for it.

If you would like to form a deeper connection to you and increase your awareness of your needs in each moment, then check out our My PowerBar Energy Journal. This journal will help you to master the art of balancing life’s demands, while still prioritising time for you.

My PowerBar Energy Journal – available now on Amazon.