Busy as we all are in our vicious circle of life, it becomes difficult to find time for ourselves. Sounds crazy but do you steal a few minutes from your busy schedule to take a nap during the day? I can’t remember the last time I indulged in dancing alone, once used to be my favourite pastime. We have some passions to follow and thus weave a web of work around them. In the process of chasing the dreams, we forget to add me-time to the routine.
Me-time! What’s that?
Search Google and you find the definition of Me-time as “time spent relaxing on one’s own as opposed to working or doing things for others, seen as an opportunity to reduce stress or restore energy”. One needs to replenish energy to get up and work again with enthusiasm. For some people, it’s not easy to accept but truth is that our efficiency depends on Me-time. When we take time out of our busy routine to make ourselves comfortable, health as well as creativity improve.
I actually experience the same. When there’s a lot of work to do, I switch on my audio system and relax for a while. It is not that I shy away from doing the job. A few precious solitary moments recharge me and I’m refreshed to face the big challenge. I think all of you must be having the same feeling. Extract some time from twenty-four hours and spend on yourself, if you are not doing it now.
Importance of Me-time
Let’s decode the need for me-time. There’s so much stress in today’s life that we don’t get time to unwind. As a result, the stress piles up to present a horrible picture. We become tired, less interested in work and bored with our surroundings.
Time spent on yourself is not selfish. If you care to do your work sincerely, me-time is essential. It acts as a catalyst for better and faster results. While doing the routine work we are mechanically guided. Usually, no importance is given to happiness and self-satisfaction. It is me-time that can bring happiness to your routine work.
Me-time is no wastage of time; it increases efficiency thereby reducing the time required to do the job.
How to have Me-time?
There’s no hard and fast criterion to spend me-time. It varies from person to person. Find out what relaxes you. For one person music can do magic while for the other it is unwanted noise. Make sure you spend your time doing what your heart says and not to please someone else. For me the following things work:
🐞 Deep breathing and Meditation
When I’m fed up with the routine and want to de-stress myself, deep breathing saves me. Deep-breathing cleanses our lungs by easing oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange. It also stabilises blood pressure and reduces stress. Works best if you quickly want to go back to the routine, fully energised.
🐞 Listening to Music
Music is not just entertainment, it soothes our minds. Music has the power to reduce anxiety and depression. My me-time includes music of my taste:D
Yes, not any kind of music helps relieve your anxiety. Say, if you play your pop music for your grandmother who doesn’t like it, her stress-level is going to shoot up;)
Ask her how she likes to spend her me-time:)
🐞 Taking a Nap
A short nap is my favourite me-time. It relieves me from undesirable stress and naturally induces deep breaths. If you have sufficient time, a short nap can be increased to 2-3 hour sleep. When tired and impatient, I choose to go to bed, for a short nap. It’s good for me and people around me;)
🐞 Calling a friend
Whether you are tired or irritated, or in doubt, call a close friend. It’s an effective remedy for setting everything right. A hearty chat decreases stress level to boost the mood.
Make sure the chat sessions don’t go beyond the time allotted to your me-time;)
🐞 Watching a Movie alone
You will have to make an extra effort to watch a movie alone. Movies, because they provide wholesome entertainment.
Alone, so that you can enjoy every bit without interference. Grab popcorn and cola, home-theatre or cinema hall, watch your favourite show at your favourite time:)
🐞 Creative Writing
In me-time, I write for myself. It doesn’t include replying to emails or messages. It can be a poem, silly or sensible, depending on my mood; a short story or just scribbles evolving from my free mind. Believe me, the words I write with a relaxed mind are the most loved by me.
This blog is a part of the #WeeklyBlogHop hosted by Alpana http://www.mothersgurukul.comand Neha Sharma http://www.growingwithnemit.com. I would like to thank Pragnya of http://lifewithmypenguin.com/ for introducing me to this blog hop and would further like to introduce Kushal of http://www.cafewhiz.com to share her take on the prompt.
