I used to struggle with putting myself first at times. But lately I have realized that sometimes I need to put myself first. I work on the Neurology Unit of a really busy hospital taking care of patients all day. Along with working full-time, I take care of the house by cleaning and cooking, I am planning our wedding, my fiance and I have a three month old German Shepherd that I take care of all day, and I am always running around making everyone else happy. But with doing all these things I have realized how important it is to make time for myself, to make myself a priority. By making yourself a priority you will feel a lot happier when doing everything else. When I take a few hours to do something for myself once a week, it becomes easier to focus on other tasks I need to get done.
Some things I recommend doing for yourself to have some "ME TIME" are the following...
1. Get a Massage or Facial - By doing this you are able to unwind and have someone else take care of you.
2. Get a Mani Pedi - Pampering yourself with a manicure and pedicure will make you feel so great every time you look down at your pretty nails and toes while doing everything else on your to-do list.
3. Have a Glass of Wine and Watch a TV show - Sometimes I just want to pour myself a glass of wine (or two) and watch one of the shows on my DVR that I haven't been able to catch up on. It is great to take a break while cleaning the house before you start preparing dinner.
4. Go Walking - When the weather is nice, put on your headphones with some music, and take a walk outside. This gets you out of the house to enjoy the outdoors, and away from your to-do list for half hour or so, and you also get some Vitamin D in your system to make you feel happier.
5. Read a Book - If you have a book you want to read and don't have time to, make time. Sit down for an hour every other day, have a glass of lemonade, sit on the couch, and read away.
6. Sit Back and Journal - By journaling (my favorite thing ever), you will be able to release your stress, clear your mind, and get it all out of you. This gives you an hour to relax, write down your thoughts, and then later that night or the next day you can read it back to yourself.
7.Stretching or Yoga - By taking a half hour to stretch your body out and breath it releases tension, PHYSICAL TENSION. This will make you physically feel better.
8. Lay Down and Clear Your Mind - If you are going through a long and tiring morning, take an hour to just lay down and relax. Sometimes that is the best thing to do. It will relax your muscles, relax your mind, and just breathe. Turn all the lights off, stay away from your phone and computer, and just set an alarm to get back up.
9. Go Shopping - When you have a day that you can leave the house, spoil yourself and splurge a little as long as your budget allows it. Go shopping at one of your favorite stores. Try on some cute shoes, buy a shirt or two, or even just window shopping at the mall. This always makes me feel better because if I leave with something I am happy, if I don't I know I am coming back next payday to get something I saw that I liked.
All of these things can be used to collect yourself and jump start the rest of your day. By having some "ME TIME" every so often you will feel like you are taken care of. When you feel more taken care of, you are more capable of taking care of everything else in your life. Also, you family and friends will see that you are less stressed and see that you have everything under control. But just a piece of advice, if you EVER feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid to say "NO" to doing something or ask someone for help doing it.
