I juggle lots of balls. Between working for Government, owning my own business, being a new Mum, building a new home, and managing the ups and downs of family and personal life, I am always busy. Even though I might complain about it sometimes, I know I love it. I’m not the kind of person who can sit around on the couch for hours and do nothing. That’s just not me. I’d prefer to be blogging or talking to a client.
Having said this, I’m also a huge advocate for the importance of self-care and ‘me time’. I truly believe that in order to be in the optimal position to be of service to others, I must take care of myself. But how do you do this when you are so busy? How do you do this when you’re a proud workaholic?
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Here are six ways that I have found that you can ensure you take time out for yourself when you are a proud workaholic who still values ‘me time’ and self-care:
1. Meditate whilst in transit or on you’re toilet break
Yes, you read that right. You can meditate when you’re on the toilet. Or when you’re on the bus or train. Or perhaps while you’re waiting for your coffee to be made.
Take those few moments of quiet to just ‘be’. It can be as simple as focusing on your breath. Taking a deep breath in through your nose, pausing for a few seconds, and then a allowing a slow breath out through your mouth. Repeating this a few times until you feel your body and mind relaxing.
2. Introduce quick bursts of exercise
If there are times where you simply can’t fit in a workout, try introducing a few five minute breaks throughout the day to do some quick bursts of exercise. My favourite ways of doing this are:
- Setting a reminder on my computer to get up every couple of hours to do a set of alternating exercises (e.g., squats, alternating lunges, tricep dips, calf raises etc.). When I’m in the office, I love getting my colleagues involved with this. Yes, they think you’re crazy to begin with, but after a while they actually start to look forward to it!
- Taking the stairs instead of the lift and walking up them as fast as possible. You’d be amazed at how many calories this burns once you’ve done it a few times throughout the day!
- Making and using exercise playing cards periodically throughout the day for short bursts. This is as simple as writing different exercises on a piece of paper and cutting them up into cards that can be shuffled and drawn when you have a spare moment to move your body.
Not only are these short breaks good for your body, but they also help clear your mind and boost your productivity.
3. Put a reminder in your phone with an affirmation encouraging you to prioritise sleep
If you’re anything like me, the night suddenly disappears when you start to do some work after dinner. Before you know it, you start to feel tired during the day – and this isn’t good for anyone.
I now have a reminder on my phone that goes off at a set time saying: “Self care, including sleep, is just as important as every other item on my To Do list”.
When this alarm goes off, I know it’s time to pack up the books and start to wind-down and prepare for bed.
… In order to be in the optimal position to be of service to others, I must take care of myself
4. Ask for help
For many of us, this can be tough. We like to be the one that people come to for help, not the other way around. Besides, sometimes it’s just easier to do things yourself, right?
Wrong.
Letting go, accepting help, and entrusting others is a superpower that every self-loving and self-caring workaholic must have in her back pocket. It is something that doesn’t come naturally to many of us, including me, and that we must consciously work on and practice each day.
I promise you that you will notice a huge difference in your health and happiness when you start to master this one.
5. Schedule time out
If it’s not in your schedule, it won’t happen. It’s as simple as that.
When you’re a workaholic, your diary is your bible. You are lost without it. Literally.
If you don’t make time for ‘me time’ and self care, it simply wont happen. You must get into the habit of pencilling it into your diary.
6. Plan the bejesus out of things
When you juggle lots of balls, it can be extremely difficult to find time for ‘me time’ and self-care. You are just too busy. I get this. I’m the same.
I’ve found that being super-planned and organised is what helps me identify pockets of time to stop and do things for myself occasionally.
I pencil planning time in to my diary. I have templates to help me plan efficiently and quickly. I have a weekly meals and exercise plan. I even have a monthly housework planner, that breaks down the chores that need to be done, who needs to do them, and when.
Being organised and planning ahead, helps take the thinking out of things. You can pop them into your schedule and just do them – freeing up time for that walk with the family, that lazy evening in bed reading a book, or that coffee date with a friend.
Featured image courtesy of Naomi Arnold.
Naomi Arnold
Naomi is an award winning Business + Life Passion Coach, writer, speaker and human rights activist. She works with big hearted, creative and mission driven people who want to make a difference in the world. Through her coaching, writing, and award nominated Freebies Library at www.naomiarnold.com, she helps people embrace their uniqueness and live their version of a passion-fueled and purposeful life.
