Gift yourself the Permission of Time
You are worth it.
In a sea of occupational burnout, stress, fatigue, and a myriad of health issues, the statistics are coming in showing us that we can no longer afford to put ourselves last.
According to Indeed, 61% of remote workers, and 53% of on-site workers, are now finding it more difficult to unplug from work during their off-hours. (Indeed)
As I have been moving through my own journey and sharing my experiences, it has become clear that we are more inclined to keep appointments with other people. We twist ourselves in knots to ensure we don’t disappoint our bosses, coworkers, spouses, friends, and family. We cancel on ourselves daily, bending to meet deadlines and expectations that can leave us exhausted and unfulfilled.
Value your time, value yourself.
Prioritizing your own time does not mean that you do not value the time of others. Please go back and read that sentence again…Prioritizing your own time does not mean that you do not value the time of others.
Your time is valuable, and so is your mental health. This is your sign to hold fast to the habits, goals, and aspirations you have for yourself.
Give yourself permission to prioritize yourself (Look in the mirror and speak to yourself honestly and openly about where you are at and the journey ahead and set an intention. For example, ”I give myself permission to stretch this morning before I sit down at my desk and start working”)
Practice time-blocking your day and include a non-negotiable appointment for yourself. Start simple with 5 minutes of reading an old book, or sitting under your favorite tree listening to the world around you. Don’t break this appointment with yourself!
Prioritize action. We spend a lot of time thinking about how we don’t take proper care of ourselves or our homes. Just for today, put action to all of that thought. Take the walk, book the vacation, and plant the seeds for the life you want to live every day.
You got this.
As we move throughout our lives, we have a vast array of relationships to navigate through, and oftentimes we give more space to personal and working relationships than we do to ourselves.
So many people have been operating in this way for decades and it can seem almost impossible to find your way back to yourself. You can do it. Through small steps every day where you show yourself love, compassion, and grace, you can create time and show up for yourself.
5 Rules for Taking Back Your Time:
Don’t say “yes” to everything. In fact, you don’t even have to say no, you can just say “Not Right Now.”
Stick to your time limits. Let people know when you have a “hard out” ahead of time so that they can be prepared and also understand that you have time constraints that are important.
Take a minute at the beginning of each work hour to close your eyes and visualize exactly how the next hour is going to go, and what you will accomplish. Keep it simple, and visualize yourself accomplishing your task effectively and efficiently. This can help us navigate through distractions and feel intentional about our day.
Respect others' time, and expect the same in return.
Spend time every day doing something meaningful and fulfilling. Laugh with a friend, call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, and treasure the time we have each day.
As much as we may wish, we cannot get back the minute or hour that has already gone. Take care with each moment and honor yourself today.
“The present moment is all you ever have. There is never a time when your life is not “this moment”.”
-Eckhart Tolle