The world is in a permanent hurry. We all rush around as if our lives depended on it. While some people can cope quite happily, even thrive, on living life in the fast lane, many others find they ‘burn out’ easily, which leaves them anxious, tired, and depressed. They feel as if there are never enough hours in the day to meet all the targets they set themselves, without thinking that perhaps they are aiming too high. Feelings of inadequacy rise to the surface because they end each day feeling that they haven’t achieved very much, which leaves them feeling even more anxious.
We live in a 24/7 society that never seems to stop or even slow down. In days gone by, we would go to bed when the sun went down, and wake in the morning as it rose. Without electric light, most everyday chores were impossible, so life was organized around the natural movement of the sun. It ensured that however hard we worked during the day, we had adequate time in which to sleep. We lived life at a slower pace, following the rhythm of nature, because fewer demands and time limits were placed on us. Nowadays, it’s sometimes hard to tell when day turns into night, because we can carry on working at any hour. Some of us work and work, never knowing when to stop, as if we’re afraid that something will go wrong if we do.
When the pace of your life reaches this point, it’s time to do something. Actually, it’s time to do nothing at all. Here are some ways to ensure that you can build some ‘me’ time into your busy life.
First of all, no matter how hard you work, try not to bring your work home with you. When work finishes for the day, leave it at the office or in the factory – as they say, you work to live, not live to work. Similarly, if you work from home, try to make sure your workstation is positioned away from the areas of the home in which you and your family like to relax.
Make sure that, as far as you are able, you can find some time to relax at the end of a working day and, more importantly, at the weekend. If necessary, leave the answer machine switched on over the weekend, turn off the TV, the computer, and your mobile phone, gather up your family, and ask them what they would like to do. Chances are it will be something that you can all do together that will get you working as a team and spending good quality time with each other. You could arrange a picnic at a favorite spot or, if the weather is bad, get out some long-forgotten board games, or get the children involved in crafts and hobbies.
Stand still sometimes. You don’t have to be continually thinking or planning. Don’t feel you have to fill every minute of every day with something ‘constructive’. Just looking at the flowers and trees in your garden, or standing at the edge of the sea, will help to calm your thoughts. At the same time, slow down your breathing – too many of us do not breathe deeply enough. We rush through our breathing in the same way that we rush through the chores of the day.
If it really is difficult to find some ‘me’ time, look at the things you think you must do next week, and see if you can re-prioritize or re-schedule some of them. You may discover a spare hour or two that you can call your own.
We all want to live perfect lives but, in reality, this really isn’t achievable without having to compromise in some way. Instead, remind yourself that life is for living; give yourself time out to relax. You’ll find it much easier to tackle the more difficult aspects of your life.