Ways to Make Time for Yourself

Soccer practice, work meetings, constant laundry. Everyday life can get pretty busy. You may even feel overwhelmed as all the little tasks begin to pile up. When life starts to feel chaotic, making time for yourself can feel impossible and unnecessary. However, sometimes implementing just a little bit of “me time” into your schedule can actually make everything else feel a bit more manageable. Keep reading to find out why taking time for yourself is important and how to fit free time into your schedule.

Why is “Me Time” Important?

Making time for yourself can feel frivolous, like you should be doing something else. However, scheduling in time for self-care throughout your day has actually been proven to have beneficial effects for yourself and those around you.

Mental Health America reported that, “Self-care is proven to reduce stress and anxiety levels while increasing self-compassion.” This time can be relaxing, developing personal interests, or expressing your creativity, amongst other activities. However you choose to spend your “me time,” the goal is to come out of it feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of your schedule.

Tips for Making Time for Yourself

Start Small: Before restructuring your whole schedule, start with small improvements that allow you to focus on self-care throughout your day. Going for a walk, listening to your favorite music in the car, or even just making a nutritious meal are great ways to practice self-care that you can easily incorporate into your everyday routine. Making small adjustments can help improve your day without adding extra stress.

Starter Tip: Begin your journey toward “me time” by meal prepping your breakfast on Sunday. Making an easy meal ahead of time can make your weekday mornings more enjoyable and stress-free, while giving you extra time to practice self-care. By ensuring you eat a proper meal before work, you’re setting yourself up for a successful day.

Pick a Hobby: One way to better your day-to-day could be to find something that you’re interested in and learn more about it for a half hour a day. Whether it be knitting, painting, biking, or even writing, by identifying a hobby and diving into it a little bit each day, you’re allowing your brain a small break.

Hobbies have been proven to have many benefits on mental health, including reduced stress, improved wellbeing and patience, and alleviated boredom. If you’re interested in starting a new hobby, check out Acenda’s article, How Hobbies Can Benefit Your Health.

Starter Tip: Reading is a great hobby to try out in the beginning of your self-care journey. By taking 15 minutes during your lunch break or before going to bed, you give your mind a break from the screens that occupy much of our days. Reading can also allow your imagination to wander and discover new lives, worlds, and perspectives.

Stay Grounded: Taking some time every day to practice mindfulness techniques can be helpful when trying to make time for yourself. Breathing exercises, yoga, and gratitude journaling are three ways to ground your mind and allow yourself some peace amidst your busy schedule.

Another popular technique is called the “Five Senses Exercise,” where you identify five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. By recognizing each sense, you shift your focus to the present moment, rather than everything else you have on your plate.

Starter Tip: Whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed or stressed, take five minutes to step away or outside. Take several deep breaths and practice the “Five Senses Exercise.” If that doesn’t work, take a short walk, whether it’s down the street or up the hallway, making a conscious effort to clear your mind and focus on your breathwork. By taking just five minutes to calm yourself down, you can save time down the line and come back to work with a better mindset.

Set Boundaries: Creating separation between various parts of your life is another way to allow your mind a break and create space for yourself to relax throughout the day. Whether it’s turning off your notifications outside of working hours or learning to say “no” when you need rest, it’s important to allow yourself breaks throughout the week, especially when you’re working and have a family at home. Determine where you need to set boundaries (around your time, emotions, belongings, space, etc.) and then work with those around you to ensure everyone respects your limits. By doing so, you can better your relationship with work, with others, and with yourself.

Starter Tip: Setting boundaries can be difficult, but it is incredibly important when creating space for yourself. In the beginning, try just saying “no” to one thing a week, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed. Let the other person know that you have a lot going on at the moment but would be happy to return to the offer another time. By doing so, you are establishing boundaries with those around you, without burning bridges or offending anyone.

Conclusion

“Me Time” is frequently viewed as a luxury, something you need to earn. But making time for yourself is a necessary aspect of life, to ensure you are feeling rested and to reduce stress. You don’t have to take a week-long vacation to satisfy your need for “Me Time,” all you have to do is make time in your day-to-day life to focus on your needs and peace. By utilizing the tips above, you can begin your self-care journey toward a more relaxed, rested, and grounded you.

If you are struggling to sort through your thoughts and establish “Me Time,” it may help to seek professional help.

About the Author

Riley de Jong, Communications Strategist at Acenda, attended the University of California – Los Angeles for her undergraduate degree in Communication and minor in Entrepreneurship. She enjoys supporting her community, telling engaging stories, and connecting with others.