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Do you feel guilty taking time out for a
quick nap? And when you finally attempt to lay your head
down, you don't get to switch off because your mind's
thinking 'Now, I have to finish that letter tonight and
Jenny needs help with her studies and...."
STOP RIGHT THERE.
We all have the ability to keep many balls
in the air at once - work, family, school, friends, lovers,
sport, other stuff. Us girls can multitask quite well.
But it's all too easy for our lives to become work work
work, and no ME TIME.
You know the saying.. all work no play makes
you a dull girl!
If you're feeling a little overwhelmed,
take a break. Even a quick one hour nap is better than
staring at the same sentence or bumping into still objects
because you're too tired to focus properly. You'll be
far more productive after a refreshing snooze.
If the mere thought of going to bed in the
middle of the afternoon bothers you, then try the couch.
Just lie on your back and pretend you're in a hammock,
or something. Even better if you have a hammock. Instead
of thinking about your chores for the day, focus on a
holiday, or great food...great sex...any place but your
desk!
Maybe you do get a good night's sleep but
feel mentally exhausted. It happens to the best of us.
People want a piece of you and there isn't enough to go
around. When you have that spinning wheel that won't stop
sensation inside your head, that's the time to stand up,
shake yourself down, and do some serious Me Timing!
Here are some Me Time ideas:
| Before you do anything, gather your
favorite songs, make up a personal 'hit mix' compilation
and call it "Me Time Volume One"...there
will be a Volume Two when you get over this one! |
| · Get the hell out of town for
the weekend. Go somewhere that's not too far out so
you don't spend all your time on the road, but far
enough away so it feels like you are actually away.
Rent a cottage in the country or near the beach, or
call up that friend with a holiday home. Pack up the
car, pop in your Hit Mix Vol 1, crank up your car
stereo and hit the road. |
| · Grab your Walkman, pop in
your Hit Mix and go for a nice long walk. There's
nothing like it to clear the head. Trust me...it works!
Park, beach, country road, the neighborhood, anywhere
you like. Imagine you're in a video clip and let the
music take you away. |
| · Wait until the house is clear,
put on your Hit Mix and dance your butt off around
your loungeroom. |
| · If you don't have time to
do a Hit Mix, just program your favorite songs, lie
back on the floor and pretend you're JLo, Celine Dion
or whoever. I used to love doing this as a kid...and
I still love doing it! |
| · Call up a friend who you haven't
spoken with in ages and catch up on the gossip. |
| · One of my friends was getting
a little overwhelmed by life and joined a Latin dancing
club. She goes twice a week and absolutely LOVES it...plus
there's the bonus of meeting cute guys! Why don't
you try this? Or do yoga? Or meditate? |
| · Book yourself in for a full
facial...I'm talking THE WORKS. |
| · Rent all of those videos you've
been meaning to see, buy the most expensive chocolate
you can afford, and have a big night in! |
| · If you don't want to watch
the videos, get the chocolate anyway! |
...a few ideas to get you on the way to
serious Me Timing. But take some advice from author Jennifer
Louden. In her terrific book The Comfort Queen's Guide
To Life, Jennifer realized that some women see 'taking
time out for yourself' as just another thing to put on
the to-do list! Don't schedule relaxation if you don't
want to. Do it whenever or wherever suits you.
ps...stressed spelled backwards is dessert.
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