Making Time for You: Help Yourself to Help Others
The modern world can be a hectic place for women. Whether it’s keeping a full-time job, caring for children, looking after elderly relatives or the never-ending to-do list; things can get crazy pretty fast. So much so, that we can feel guilty even considering doing something for ourselves, let alone doing it.
But here’s the thing, everyone deserves some time to their selves. I’m sure even Mother Teresa read a book occasionally (if she didn’t, she should have……). And if you really can’t justify it in your head here’s another way to look at it: taking some time out helps to make you a happier and healthier person which means you will be able to give more to others. Amy Tiemann author of Mojo Mom: Nurturing Your Self While Raising a Family has a great analogy. Think of yourself as a first responder. If you have to go to A and E, you want the Drs to be functioning at their highest possible level. This can only happen if you are looking after yourself as well as others. The irony is also that taking time out will make you more productive in the long run, so you can actually get more done by doing less!Making It Work:Gina Shaw recommends scheduling in “me” time to make sure it gets done. Marking time out in your schedule will help you to:
Take it seriously.
Relax throughout the day as you know a break is coming.
Make the most of it as your body should start to relax before you even get there in preparation.
Find Something You EnjoyThe key here is to choose something that gives you pleasure. Bonus points if it’s something that will make you healthier such as pilates or meditation. If you don’t have anything in mind, make a list of your interests and things you’ve always wanted to try, and see if anything comes up.Prioritise YourselfTry to make this as high a priority as a dentist appointment for your children or taking your parents to the Dr’s. Giving yourself time to unwind can do wonders for your own health and will leave you with more energy to help others when needed. Some of the benefits include:
Reduced stress.
Increased creativity.
Improved concentration.
Increased productivity.
Pilates Ticks All of the Boxes Exercise in general is a great stress reliever and escape from the pressures of life. Marcello Pedalino, fitness trainer and author of Celebrate Life sums it up well: “If you can’t take care of yourself , you can’t take care of the people who depend on you. The top leaders and most successful people in the world make fitness a priority.” Pilates is perfect for giving you an hour off from the world. It is mindful movement which means that each exercise is done with awareness. This means that you simply can’t think about anything else whilst you are doing it, you are fully in the moment. Aside from this it increases strength, flexibility and bone density. And it can be modified to any level, you don’t have to exhaust yourself to feel the benefits. If you would like to set aside some “me time” in the form of a pilates class drop me a message. #selfcare #livingwell