<p>If you are used to putting others first, it’s hard to make time for yourself. Alvina Clara argues that women need to learn to make themselves their first priority, starting right now.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Most women are so busy juggling between being daughters, wives, mothers and employees that they seldom find much time for themselves. Take a break, pause for a bit; you deserve solo time to tune into your own being, feelings, interests and goals to add fulfilment to your life. Some time alone helps you discover long-forgotten dreams and also helps you get in touch with yourself. Besides, there are other unexpected benefits, such as helping you take better decisions, sleeping soundly and finding joy in simple things. <br /><br />Just for you<br /><br />So, what is ‘Me’ time? It is a period of 30 minutes or even a couple of hours that you dedicate to yourself exclusively daily. It could be going for a morning jog, a trip to the cinema, a treat with friends or a soothing spa massage, soaking into a bubble bath tub, listening to music, relaxing by burning some aromatherapy candles, reading a book, getting a new haircut, treating yourself to a manicure/pedicure session, exercising, going for a long drive - basically, anything you enjoy doing. It’s important to spare yourself some “alone time”, even if it's only for half an hour a day. <br /><br />Having some time tucked away for yourself can help you discover many things about youself, and perhaps give you some insight in what you want to do next. Being lonely and having some “alone time” are not the same thing, even though many people say that they can relate to being lonely. When you are having some “alone time,” you could be doing so many fun things on your own, like catching up on a new movie or even relaxing on a beach. People forget that they can have just as much enjoyment alone as they can in a group. And you need to make it mandatory to do so because otherwise life can feel like a never ending list of ‘to-dos’.<br /><br />Making time<br /><br />Make yourself a priority on your list. If you are used to putting others first, it's hard to prioritise yourself. If you are the engine of the family, it’s important to nurture yourself regularly. Leave some space to just be. Ask yourself what your soul vitamins are, and then just see how you feel. Taking time for yourself has psychological and physiological benefits. When you take a break and do the activity that you enjoy, you will experience the wonders for a fair amount of time. You will feel refreshed and see yourself happier. Switch off from your electronic gadgets and meditate; clear your mind of all thoughts and ponder into your inner being, feel the air of peacefulness. <br /><br />Benefit from the tranquillity, the recess from all that chaos throughout the day. Work on your body, pamper it, get into some yoga postures, warm up, exercise a bit, you need to get you mind and body attuned to each other.<br /><br />Invest in a hobby or an interest. Be it gardening, cooking novel dishes, reading a book, stitching, dancing, singing, or art and craft. Learn something new daily, in order to avoid getting outdated. <br /><br />Remember that no matter what you do, there are only 24 hours in a day, so you can't create more time. But you can clear some time by re-evaluating priorities, perhaps saying “no” to futile tasks and practising smart time-management. It is very common to become so involved in giving to others that you fail to give to yourself. <br /><br />‘Me’ time is not something you should feel guilty about. Treating yourself to an activity that you enjoy gives you an opportunity to relax, refocus and recharge. We all instinctively know that when we take time for ourselves to pursue our passions, do the things that we enjoy, relax or even do nothing at all, we end up happier, healthier and feeling better. ‘Me’ time allows us to de-stress, unwind and rejuvenate, heal and create reserves of energy and peace.<br /> <br />And when we do that, we can bounce back to our responsibilities with greater focus, <br />commitment and enjoyment.<br /><br /></p>
<p>If you are used to putting others first, it’s hard to make time for yourself. Alvina Clara argues that women need to learn to make themselves their first priority, starting right now.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Most women are so busy juggling between being daughters, wives, mothers and employees that they seldom find much time for themselves. Take a break, pause for a bit; you deserve solo time to tune into your own being, feelings, interests and goals to add fulfilment to your life. Some time alone helps you discover long-forgotten dreams and also helps you get in touch with yourself. Besides, there are other unexpected benefits, such as helping you take better decisions, sleeping soundly and finding joy in simple things. <br /><br />Just for you<br /><br />So, what is ‘Me’ time? It is a period of 30 minutes or even a couple of hours that you dedicate to yourself exclusively daily. It could be going for a morning jog, a trip to the cinema, a treat with friends or a soothing spa massage, soaking into a bubble bath tub, listening to music, relaxing by burning some aromatherapy candles, reading a book, getting a new haircut, treating yourself to a manicure/pedicure session, exercising, going for a long drive - basically, anything you enjoy doing. It’s important to spare yourself some “alone time”, even if it's only for half an hour a day. <br /><br />Having some time tucked away for yourself can help you discover many things about youself, and perhaps give you some insight in what you want to do next. Being lonely and having some “alone time” are not the same thing, even though many people say that they can relate to being lonely. When you are having some “alone time,” you could be doing so many fun things on your own, like catching up on a new movie or even relaxing on a beach. People forget that they can have just as much enjoyment alone as they can in a group. And you need to make it mandatory to do so because otherwise life can feel like a never ending list of ‘to-dos’.<br /><br />Making time<br /><br />Make yourself a priority on your list. If you are used to putting others first, it's hard to prioritise yourself. If you are the engine of the family, it’s important to nurture yourself regularly. Leave some space to just be. Ask yourself what your soul vitamins are, and then just see how you feel. Taking time for yourself has psychological and physiological benefits. When you take a break and do the activity that you enjoy, you will experience the wonders for a fair amount of time. You will feel refreshed and see yourself happier. Switch off from your electronic gadgets and meditate; clear your mind of all thoughts and ponder into your inner being, feel the air of peacefulness. <br /><br />Benefit from the tranquillity, the recess from all that chaos throughout the day. Work on your body, pamper it, get into some yoga postures, warm up, exercise a bit, you need to get you mind and body attuned to each other.<br /><br />Invest in a hobby or an interest. Be it gardening, cooking novel dishes, reading a book, stitching, dancing, singing, or art and craft. Learn something new daily, in order to avoid getting outdated. <br /><br />Remember that no matter what you do, there are only 24 hours in a day, so you can't create more time. But you can clear some time by re-evaluating priorities, perhaps saying “no” to futile tasks and practising smart time-management. It is very common to become so involved in giving to others that you fail to give to yourself. <br /><br />‘Me’ time is not something you should feel guilty about. Treating yourself to an activity that you enjoy gives you an opportunity to relax, refocus and recharge. We all instinctively know that when we take time for ourselves to pursue our passions, do the things that we enjoy, relax or even do nothing at all, we end up happier, healthier and feeling better. ‘Me’ time allows us to de-stress, unwind and rejuvenate, heal and create reserves of energy and peace.<br /> <br />And when we do that, we can bounce back to our responsibilities with greater focus, <br />commitment and enjoyment.<br /><br /></p>