Me time is the time spent relaxing on one’s own as opposed to working or doing things for others, seen as an opportunity to reduce stress or restore energy.
Most people feel the need to be going all the time. If we are not working and putting our energy into something, we believe we are wasting time. We may feel taking time for ourselves is a waste and won’t accomplish anything.
And to some extent it’s true – relentlessly pushing yourself may bring some measure of success. However, most of the time going for long periods without time for yourself may cost you in the end. Stress and the inability to just enjoy a little time-out have very real health and psychological effects.
Health effects can include heart attacks, strokes, asthma, obesity, diabetes, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, lessened immune function, and even premature death. Mentally, people may experience mental fatigue, insomnia, confusion, poor concentration, depression, anxiety, and increased irritability. Just like we need sleep, we need a time out.
So why having me time is important for everyone? The biggest reason to take a little time out for yourself is to avoid the negative consequences of not doing so. But more than that, “me” time can make you a better person both inside and out.
First of all, taking some “me” time can help you avoid irritability and enable you to control your emotions. If you live with someone, like a spouse, partner or children, or even pet, they may not understand your need to take “me” time but they certainly will appreciate the way your mood has improved.
The lack of time to yourself can cause you to build up resentments that can harm both you and your relationships. When you spend all your time filling other people’s cups, yours will likely run empty. Sometimes, especially when we’re tired, we may become angry about giving so much.
We sometimes minimalize our need for “me” time by thinking about how we’re denying attention to other things that are important to us, such as our family, our friends, our gym time, our book club, the lawn, or whatever else. We feel selfish taking the needed time out when there’s so much left to do. It’s not selfish to take me time. While traditionally “me time” has been considered self-indulgent, it’s the opposite because it better equips us for future social interaction.
Your health is vital, and if you think these obligations can’t succeed without you, think of what might happen if you become sick and have to set them aside for a longer amount of time. You need a little time to recharge your batteries.
What are the benefits of having me-time?
Here are seven ways that spending time taking care of yourself will make you better at your job and improve your life.
1. Reduce stress and unwind
If you don’t prioritize “me” time then you’ll feel more exhausted, more run down, and more rushed. Being constantly under pressure will increase your stress levels and eventually you burn out. Take time out to unwind, recharge your batteries and bring your stress levels down.
2. Reboot your brain and be more productive
Having a never-ending list of tasks and working from the moment you wake up until the moment you fall asleep is not healthy. The human brain wasn’t built for extended periods of focus. You need to take regular breaks if you want to stay productive. Doing something enjoyable in those breaks will refresh you and get you back on track.
3. Improve concentration and aid problem solving
If you’ve been forcing yourself to focus on completing a task or solving a problem and you don’t seem to be getting anywhere then take a break. Doing something you enjoy will help you relax and not put your brain under so much pressure. You’ll often find that the solution will suddenly come to you because you aren’t trying to force it.
4. Allow time for self-discovery and deeper thinking
We need to take time to stop and evaluate ourselves now and then. What is important to us? What are our core values? What are our goals? Sometimes we get so caught up in the day-to-day tasks that we forget about what we want and who we are. If we aren’t aligning our actions with our objectives then we can become unhappy and unfulfilled.
5. Improve your relationships
Making yourself a priority shows other people that you respect your own needs. If you don’t respect yourself then others can start to take advantage of that. Value yourself and others will value you.
“Me” time will energize you and make you feel healthier and happier putting you in a better position to love and support the people you care about.
6. Better work-life balance
Understanding the importance of looking after your needs makes it easier to create a better work-life balance. You learn to say “no” and walk away rather than take on every task, problem, or chore that comes your way. This allows us to manage the important things in our life more effectively.
7. Greater well-being
Doing the things that we enjoy makes us feel happier. Feeling happier makes us more positive, healthy, and fulfilled. Taking time to have fun, relax or do something just for us improves our well-being and sense of self-worth.
How to schedule “me time”?
It might seem easy to schedule a little “me” time, but often it isn’t. You must permit yourself to take at least a half-hour per day, even if it’s divided, just for yourself. If you have to, set the alarm, schedule it on the calendar, or put it on your “to-do” list for the day. Whatever you have to do, make it happen every day.
Here are some ideas for things you can do to give yourself a break:
- Go to the park or for a walk on your lunch break
- Listen to music
- Read a book or magazine
- Watch a film or favorite TV show
- Take a relaxing bath
- Do something creative (write, draw, cook, sew)
- Meditate
- Spend five minutes before bed thinking positive thoughts
- Get up early and write down something you are looking forward to
- Have a coffee in your garden
- Exercise
The quality of your “me” time is more important than the quantity. Even if you have a full schedule, make sure you take ten minutes to focus on something you enjoy. Close the office door, switch off technology and give yourself a break.
If you take your “me” time at home, be sure that those around you are aware that you will be off-limits – except in an emergency, of course. It might be best to define ‘emergency’ or you may be interrupted by perceived emergencies that could have easily waited until after your rest period.
Setting boundaries is important. Realize that there are limits to what you can do, and build your life around that. Also, acknowledge that you need to limit the demands that other people can make on your time.
So, everyone should understand if you decide to:
- Watch a movie alone.
- Get alone to read, listen to music, paint or do any other hobbies.
- Treat yourself to a delicious meal.
- Stay-in and order delivery for a whole weekend.
- Switch off your phone.
- Disappear from social media.
- Spend time with your pet.
- Visit a random place by yourself.
As the demands of modern-day life can be overwhelming, whatever your lifestyle demands, you need to make sure you don’t burn out.
So, taking time for yourself is vital. We often prioritize everyone else’s needs before our own because we don’t want to seem selfish or feel guilty but that’s not healthy.
“Me” time doesn’t necessarily mean doing something alone, it just means doing something you enjoy. This could be reading a book with your children, or going for a walk with friends.