I have recently started doing yoga, and I must tell you that as far as exercise goes, it is totally my jam. First of all, the atmosphere of mellow music and low lights creates a soothing “nap time for grown-ups” environment. My instructor is kind, warm, and a patient teacher to yoga newbies like me. Finally, even though I’m not the most flexible girl around by a long shot, I am slowly but surely becoming more so. With each passing week, I am able to bend and stretch further than I could before. But it takes a lot of slow, intentional stretching over a long period of time. Glancing across the yoga studio, I realized there were all kinds of people. We are all different but we can agree on one thing, never have we experienced a greater need for self-care.
Our day is characterized by the constantly rising pressure to juggle different elements of our lives. We are expected to cram in health pursuits, personal development, time with friends, house-keeping, trips and excursions, entertainment, fulfilling family commitments while we and our partners hold down demanding jobs.
To cope with all of this, we need to take sometime to ourselves to rejuvenate. I know I do. And I bet you do too.
Take a look at these amazing (and simple) "me" time ideas that you can use for inspiration right now – and enjoy, you deserve it!
Delegate household chores once in a while. If you don't have a full time house-help, have someone come in to help you when you are feeling overwhelmed.
Take yourself on a date. They might sound cliche, but self-dates can be a powerful tool for learning how to be happy alone.
Get up half an hour earlier and take a walk around the neighborhood. Enjoy the coolness of the early morning and appreciate the beauty of nature, even if it's just a little plant that has manages to emerge from a crack in the pavement. Or if you can, take that time to journal, or get some form of exercise, like a jog, yoga or meditation. It also helps clear your mind.
Have a grown-up play date. Meet up a friend for something fun and silly like an afternoon movie, miniature golf, a cooking class, night out, sleepover or just catching up over coffee. Hanging out with someone fun and completely separate from your work and family stresses can be very rejuvenating.
Book some beauty time. At the end of the month, when you are feeling burnt out, book a day at the salon. Have a facial, manicure, pedicure and make your hair. It will help you relax and come out looking and feeling your best.
Take a nap. Skip happy hour and take that afternoon nap. It will boost memory, improve job performance, lift your mood, make you more alert, and ease stress.
Make some journaling time. For 15 minutes a day, find a quiet place in the office, garden, or local restaurant for some quality journaling time. Write down your thoughts, plot some goals and/or allow yourself to dream a little. Try to do this three times a week, or daily if possible. It doesn’t have to be a regular thing to feel good or serve a purpose, so don’t worry if it’s only one time or very sporadic.
Take a step back from social media. Social media isn’t inherently bad or problematic, but if scrolling through your feeds makes you feel left out and stressed, take a few steps back.
Turn off the TV early every night for a week. Get off your phone or social media too, and see how much free time you have on your hands.
Create something. Draw, write, sculpt, bake a cake, color in a coloring book or post a Tiktok dance video. Have fun and don’t get hung up on how it turns out. It’s the act of creating that’s important here, not the end result.
Visit a bookshop or a library. Go perusing through books with interesting titles or find a book you have always wanted to read for ages. Spend some time reading a chapter, every night before you go to sleep.
Carve out time to let your mind wander. Does the thought of doing absolutely nothing unsettle you? That’s probably because it’s been a long time since you’ve allowed yourself to just be. Experiment by setting a timer for 5 minutes. That’s it. Five minutes with no television, music, internet, podcasts, or books.
Have a bubble bath or a long long shower. Yes, it’s a little cliché, but bathing really is the ultimate “me time”. Wait until everyone has gone out or to bed, and forget about all the little chores you need to do. Run a bubble bath, light some candles, pour a glass of wine, play some soul music and allow yourself to wallow, guilt-free! And if you can't have a bath, use some fragrant shower gel as you take a long hot shower.
Learn something new. Take the initiative to absorb and learn new information or practice a skill while alone. Maybe you have always wanted to try crocheting, or pottery, this is your chance to try it.
Spend time in nature.
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