It’s okay to slow down
Yes, you have permission to sit down and do nothing.
You’re probably thinking,
“But I have a full household to run.”
“I have so much work to do.”
“No one will watch the children.”
“I am multi-tasking all the time. I am barely able to sit down and eat.”
Yes. We live in a crazy busy world where we barely have time to breathe. But it is precisely why you need to slow down.
Taking the time to slow down a few minutes a day can:
Give you more energy for the whole week
Heal your body faster
Make your mind feel less cluttered
Improve your mood and outlook
Give you something to look forward to the next day
Possibly give you good overall health in the long term
Yes, it can be tricky to actually find those elusive few minutes. As a partner, a mom, a business owner, a yoga teacher, a coach, I have had to figure out what worked for me.
Luckily for me, having had to work in Australian time zone in one of my previous jobs, I learned to become a morning person. That has tremendously helped me later on to appreciate waking up at 5am.
How can you find time for yourself?
Here are some tips to carve out some ‘ME’ time:
Morning: Wake up 5-10 minutes earlier than everybody when the house is still quiet. Before you cook, clean up, turn on your laptop, etc. You can use this time to write down your thoughts in a journal, take a quick walk for some fresh air, watch the sunrise, or just sit down and drink a warm cup of water.
Mid-day: Take a quick 5 to 10-minute break after lunch. While you are digesting your food, find a place where you can be alone and sit down with a glass of water. Try not to get on your phone or do anything else. It’s just 10 minutes, you will survive!
Night time: Spend 5-10 minutes alone time before going to bed. Night time slowing down is very important to get a good night sleep. No gadgets. No TV. Just maybe a pen and your journal.
Consider those precious 5-10 minutes as your gift to yourself. They don’t cost you a cent but the benefits are extremely high.
You don’t need to do all 3 breaks at once. You can start with just one, if taking time before going to bed is suited in your current home situation, then do that. It’s more about figuring out what works for you and guarding those “ME time” as if your life depended on it.
Slowing down may not look much on the outside, but the “work” is actually happening inside us. We often associate being productive with DOING SOMETHING, but “doing nothing” goes deeper. Adopting a healthy self-care routine that suits you will not only benefit you now but more so in the long run. Your mind, body and heart will thank you for it.
Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you do give yourself the permission to slow down.
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. – Jim Rohn
Do you have other tips you would like to share? Let me know what worked for you and we can add them here.
Much love, Ness