The importance of ‘Me Time’

Chloe Delaunay

I’ve recently been thinking more about the importance of downtime or ‘Me Time’ and this fantastic jam-packed bank holiday weekend was a real eye-opener as to how much we manage to cram in to our busy lives.

We all know how important it is to put the hours in at the office, keep the house clean and tidy and the fridge stocked, nurture little ones or look after other family members and four legged friends, catch up with friends and some of us even make the time to get out there and get some fresh air and do some exercise- but with all this going on do we ever find time for any quality time for ourselves?

Recently, I’ve really tried my hardest to find a bit of time for me, and to make the most of it, even if it’s just taking 15 minutes a day to do something I enjoy on my own and clear my head of the busyness of everyday life.

So, why is this downtime so important?

Well, having regular breaks or time to ourselves to forget about all the chaos in our lives helps us to empty our head, reassess and become more focussed, more energised, more productive, less stressed and happier!

So, how much time do you need to do this?

This is up to you. As I said, I really enjoy having a few minutes of escape every day but for many this is a difficult thing to do. As we don’t see a tangible result from downtime many people consider it non-productive and so put it off until a quieter moment arises, which we know usually never happens. But for those of you out there who don’t see the benefits of this please give it a try for a couple of weeks and see what it can do for you.

Taking a longer break such as a long weekend or holiday is a great way to really disconnect and re-energise. For many of us this only happens or twice a year so make the most of it when you get the chance to do this.

So, what can we do during this downtime to help us feel more revitalised and ready to start again?

Now this is really down to individual choice, some people like to do yoga or meditate, some go for a walk in the fresh air or do some other form of exercise; Others make to-do lists or ‘Over-Whelm’ lists to help clear their heads. Me? I like to read or listen to music, but my favourite thing of all is to cook alone with a glass of wine once the kids are in bed. It makes me feel like the pre-mummy me!

Lastly, a great point to remember that many of us often forget; is that sleep does us the power of good. A good night’s sleep not only helps your body revitalise, it also refreshes your mind leaving you ready to tackle the day ahead. So, whether you manage to make time for yourself in the day or just before bed, give it a go consistently for a couple weeks and see if you can see the difference in yourself!

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