Finding Time For Self Care & Putting Yourself First

Have you experienced the power of self-care recently? Finding time for self care can seem impossible or self-indulgent in a world where everyone is forever on the go with little time to stop or even slow down a minute. But you need to take care of yourself and treat yourself as a priority, not a second thought. However, if you’re short on time, these tips can help you find somewhere to slot in some time for you.

Plan your week

If you’re hurtling through your week one day at a time and constantly chasing your tail, then you need to stop and look at what you have going on. Fill in all of your appointments into a calendar, including work, gym, sleep/bedtimes, meals, anything that you will be doing and when and then look at times where you can possibly have an extra 5 or 10 minutes, if not longer.

Identify your goals

Now you know what time you have and when, you need to identify the goals you want from this time. It might be that you simply want a bit of peace and quiet, so lying down on your bed in darkness for half an hour will do the trick. You might want to read a book, so taking one out with you for when the opportunity presents itself can be a good option, too, or maybe finding the time to unwind by playing some games on your phone, such as those on FruityKing is what you need in that moment. Once you know what you want to do in your pockets of time, the easier it will be to slot it in.

Why are you resisting?

If you’re never putting yourself first, or you are struggling to make time, as there is always something else that needs to be done, ask yourself why. Why aren’t you prioritising yourself, and what stops you from putting yourself first? It could be guilt over not putting your family or children first at all times; it could be that you feel guilty about spending money on yourself. Identify why you are resisting allowing yourself to have self-care and attention to increase the chances of you actually following through.

Learn how to say no.

This is a common thing for many people. And while being helpful isn’t necessarily a bad thing, doing so at the expense of your own health is. Chances are, you will be an expert at telling yourself no but not others. Finding your own boundaries, learning when to say no and how to do so effectively will not only help you free up time you can use for self-care but also help you protect your mental health too by reducing your mental workload. It might initially feel uncomfortable, and you will likely feel guilty. But this is a must if it’s something you are struggling with and doing things for others is monopolising your time.

Finding the time for self-care isn’t always easy. Some people have more time to spare than others, while some are so busy doing things for others that they forget they, too, need that same care and attention. Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s far from it. Much like you can’t pour water from an empty jug, you cannot keep going if you aren’t filling up what you need. These tips can help you to find that balance and give yourself what you need.