Wondering how to make time for yourself and actually doing it are two different things.
Far too often we wear busy like it’s some type of badge of honor. But the truth is we are all busy. None of us need to figure out ways to be busier.
What we do need is to find ways to slow down, simplify our life and figure out what our real priorities are. We need to find ways to make time for ourselves amidst all the busyness.
Why It’s Important to Make Time For Yourself
How often do you feel like there are so many urgent tasks that need to be handled daily, that when you finally get around to the tasks you want to do, you are drained and put them on the back burner again?
For so many of us, once we’ve completed the must-do tasks, we are so tired that we just don’t have the energy to take care of ourselves. This is why it’s important to make time for yourself.
When you make time for yourself it gives you clarity and you’re able to focus and think about what is important to you. You see you can’t focus on your priorities if you’re not sure what those priorities are.
When you stop, slow down and make time for yourself, you are able to see clearly what is working in your life and what changes you need to or want to make.
Studies show that you are actually more productive when you have time alone. Research also shows that “Taking time for yourself gives your brain a chance to reboot, improves concentration, increases productivity”.
This is why it’s important to make time for yourself.
Is it Okay to Make Time For Yourself?
On some level, you know it’s important to make time for yourself but it is difficult to do. Often we feel selfish, guilty, or unproductive when we are focusing on ourselves.
After all, there is work to do, bills to pay, household responsibilities, family members that need your attention, and on and on it goes. How do you possibly justify making time for yourself without feeling selfish, lazy, or guilty?
There is a quote I have on Facebook that always does well and gets lots of shares it says “rest is a requirement, not a reward.”
That post resonates with so many because we were created for rest. Each and every one of us needs it. God alone does not rest. That quote is a reminder that it’s okay to make time for yourself.
After all, you will be more helpful and supportive to your family if you are well-rested and able to recharge by taking some time for yourself.
Ultimately when you make time for yourself you restore your energy, both physical and emotional, which allows you to be there for others. This makes it more than okay!
How Much Time Should You Spend On Yourself?
This is actually a question I have received more than a couple of times. To be honest there is no single answer. It is really going to be different for everyone.
Having said that, I do believe it’s important to make time for yourself every day.
For me, it is first thing in the morning. I get up make my coffee, then sit down and read my devotions and bible for 20 to 30 minutes. It starts my day off right and puts me in a positive frame of mind.
These days I also make sure to exercise at least three to four days a week. I do virtual workout classes either at lunchtime or in the evening. It’s a way for me to take care of myself physically and emotionally. This allows me to be more present for the people in my life.
Speaking of the people in your life, it’s equally important to make time for yourself to foster your relationships. The older we get the harder it is to keep up with our friendships. Making time for yourself to just visit with a friend does so much for your mental health.
The same is true with your spouse. Everything can’t and should not always be about the kids and being productive.
8 Ways to Make Time For Yourself
This post may contain affiliate links, please see the disclosure policy here.
We’ve established that it’s essential to make time for yourself, it’s something everyone needs. Having space to reflect on your life, relax, or pursue your passions will ultimately benefit those around you as much as it benefits yourself.
While it may seem impossible right now, there are ways to make time for yourself no matter how busy your life gets.
1. Prioritize your physical needs.
If you’re not caring for yourselves physically, knowing how to make time for yourself isn’t going to help you much. In fact, if you are not physically healthy, it will be nearly impossible to accomplish those things you want to do. To prioritize your physical needs make sure you:
Exercise Daily
We all know that exercise is a key component of good health. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins. Endorphins are a natural chemical that helps to reduce and counteract stress.
Get Proper Hydration
One of the symptoms that occur when our bodies start to get dehydrated, is that we become sleepy or tired. Obviously, it’s hard to make time for yourself when you’re exhausted.
The minimum amount of recommended water intake is 8-8 ounce glasses per day. One of the things I have done to really help me drink plenty of water throughout the day is to carry a cute water bottle with me wherever I go. If you develop the habit of carrying a water bottle with you, it will be easy to maintain proper hydration.
Eat a Healthy Diet
When you eat a diet consisting primarily of highly processed foods that are high in sugar you get a quick burst of energy. However, your sugar levels will fall just as quickly as they rose. This causes a sudden drop in your energy level.
In order to make time for yourself, it’s important to keep your energy levels consistent, which means eating a healthy diet.
Get Enough Sleep
It’s pretty obvious that if we don’t get enough sleep we are going to feel tired and sluggish throughout the day.
It is helpful to get into the habit of going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. This puts your body in a natural rhythm. When your body is in a natural rhythm it knows when it’s time to keep moving and you will stay energized throughout the day.
In turn, you’ll find it much easier to make time for yourself.
2. Make Time For Yourself By Planning it Out
A great way to make time for yourself is to plan out the things you want to do. Writing down the things you want to get done — even if you don’t end up doing all of them — helps you to identify the important things. It also gives you a sense of control over your time, which can be empowering.
Once you have a list of the things you want to do, block out time on your calendar to make them happen.
Here is the key, you must treat that schedule the same as you would any other important appointment you have.
If you have an appointment with another person you’re not going to just blow them off or not reschedule. The commitment to make time for yourself is just as important, if not more important, than any other commitment you make. You need to treat it as such.
3. Prioritize Making Time For Yourself
This post started with looking at some of the reasons why it’s important to make time for yourself. I started there because if you don’t see making time for yourself as important you won’t do it.
Learning how to make time for yourself comes down to priorities. We prioritize and make time for those things we think are important. Conversely, if you don’t prioritize setting aside time for yourself, you will always find other, more important things to do.
Prioritizing time for yourself and having a clear view of what your priorities are is key. Making time for yourself is important – don’t lose sight of that!
Making time for yourself is a priority and non-negotiable.
4. Say No To Excess Commitments
We as a society are experts at over-committing. We fail to realize that our time is precious and once it is used we can never get it back.
I’ll be honest with you, this is something I often struggle with. It’s important to me to always be open to serving and helping others. I want people to feel that they can come to me and ask for help. Being there to help others is a core value I hold. It is something I believe we should all be willing to do.
However, problems arise, if you never say no. We end up overcommitted, stressed out, and exhausted. But, if you learn to place boundaries with the people in your life you will avoid over-committing and actually have more energy to help others when they need it.
This means you cannot say “yes” to everything and everyone. I love the statement: “No is a complete sentence,” it is simple and straightforward. You don’t have to explain or justify saying no when it interferes with your ability to take care of yourself so you can be there for others.
5. Let Your Family Know You Need Time For Yourself
It’s easy to become so focused on being there for others that we forget to let them be there for us. The truth is that your family loves you and wants what’s best for you. But it’s up to you to let them know what it is you need.
When you need to make time for yourself, let your family know. I’m pretty certain they will be happy to give you that space.
Communicate the plan you made above and let them know when you would like to get away or when you should not be disturbed if you are at home. They just may surprise you with how willing they are to help make that happen for you.
6. Establish Routines
It’s fun to think of yourself as a spontaneous person. I think that’s why it took me a while to get on the whole routines bandwagon. But now that I have, I don’t think I could ever go back.
Routines make life so much simpler. Those things you have to get done are put on autopilot when you have solid routines in place.
Routines are important when you want to make free time a priority. Routines allow me to get my housework done no matter how short I am on time. I’ve even been able to make decluttering part of my regular routine.
Routines will allow you to get those must-do’s done, which in turn allows you to make time for yourself.
7. Declutter Your Space
If there is one thing you can do to make it feel as if you’ve added hours to your day it is decluttering your home.
Everything you own requires some amount of your time to care for and maintain. When you have less stuff in your home you get the time back you would otherwise spend caring for all that stuff.
Clearing clutter from your home prevents you from being overwhelmed and distracted by all the mess. You will no longer spend hours searching for your misplaced keys, sunglasses, or other items. You’ll even find that looking for something to wear is much quicker.
If you genuinely want to make time for yourself, declutter your home.
If this is something you struggle with I have many articles to help you declutter.
8. Stop Telling Yourself You Have No Time
We all have the same 24 hours no one gets 25 hours in their day. If you are consistently telling yourself or others how tired you are or how busy you are, you will continue to struggle to make time for yourself.
I know what you’re thinking: “but I don’t have the time.” You have to remember that time is a very subjective thing. If you say that you don’t have time to do something, it means that you are not willing to make the effort to do it. If you are not willing to make the effort, then you are not going to have all the time you want.
What we repeatedly tell ourselves becomes the reality we live in. So if you want to know how to make time for yourself stop telling yourself you don’t have the time. Instead, tell yourself you will carve out time in your day for yourself and commit to doing it!
The Value of Making Time For Yourself
You do so much every day to care for others. You juggle many plates and they are overflowing, you deserve some time for yourself. I hope you see the value of making time for yourself and use these tips to take care of you!
Leave a Reply