The Key to Carving Out Personal Time
Our Maryland Therapists Help You Make Time for Yourself
Feeling stressed and tired by school, work, or both? We get it! It is hard to juggle so many things at once.
So…how do you carve out personal time when it seems like there’s no time leftover (and in fact, that paper/project/homework assignment was supposed to be done yesterday??)?
Here’s the thing: the number one key is…
BE INTENTIONAL about your self care
I can’t stress this enough. We don’t have enough time in our days to make leisure time unscheduled. Within our busy lives, it’s important that we schedule some times (some very ‘me’ times) to ourselves. It can be Glennon Doyle’s ‘sitting in a closet for 10 minutes to meditate’ if that’s your thing. It can be as simple as having some coffee (and not looking at your screen).
Knowing that this is the time where you’re not thinking about anything is key. It means that your brain is shutting itself down for all the worry, stress, and anxiety you normally feel during the day and putting it away. As hard as it is, it is important to remember…TO BREATHE. We are human. We deserve compassion and the space to process (even if that means staring into space and doing nothing for a good five minutes).
Three general tips on carving out personal time:
1. Schedule personal time on the calendar
Doesn’t matter if it’s 2 minutes, 10 minutes, or 3 hours (if you have time, you have time). Make space for yourself. You’re important.
Tend to go through the day without looking at the calendar? Set an alarm on your device of choice. When the alarm goes off, it’s personal time. No matter what.
2. Designate a space to have personal time
This one is a big one. Sometimes we don’t even know where to go for personal space. Our kids are everywhere. There’s no place to hide.
Where can you find a place in your house (or apartment, or general area) where you feel relaxed and safe? Where do you feel calmest? Designate that spot as your personal time hub.
3. Have something planned BEFORE stress hits
Plan your personal time (and the way you’ll spend it) before you start your week. Take some time to think of what you want to do (man, that book has been gathering dust on the shelf) and have it in the space you’ve designated beforehand as your safe space (it could be your closet, as long as it gives you peace of mind).
Above all else, remember — this is your time. It is your time to wind down, to process, to calm your mind for even a little bit of time. We’re always running around, juggling 20 different things. Making the time for yourself is essential to not crashing and burning out.
Take some space to relax
Listen to some beats, get cozy, and let your stress go…
Our Maryland therapists see it every day…
Good self care helps. In the short term, and in the long run, too. We are better versions of ourselves when we are happier and less stressed.
Want to learn how to carve out personal time? Even with ADHD? Feel stressed out by the anxiety of a thousand different tasks and don’t know where to start? Click here to schedule a consult.
