Make Time for Yourself

As much as you’d like to think so, you are not a machine that can perpetually run non-stop. You are a human being, and you need to take breaks. Even race cars need to make stops. If you don’t make time for yourself, you will burn out.

You can’t just take time for yourself, you need to MAKE time for yourself. When I’ve asked many people about whether they have time for themselves, they’ve said something along the lines of, “I don’t have time now. I should have time when things get less busy.” If you wait for some free time to open up, you will be waiting a really long time. You will almost always be busy.

In order to make time, you have to schedule it. You need to set a specific time that this “you time” will start and end. If it has to be Friday from 7–8pm, so be it. If you want/need something daily, you can set 7–7:30am every day as your “me time.” That way, you set boundaries between yourself and the rest of the world. It’s very important that you follow through with the schedule you set. If not, your time for you will shrink, keep shrinking, or not exist at all.

You need to make sure that your personal needs are met. You need to make sure that you make your doctors appointments, get errands you need done, and anything else you may need to keep yourself afloat. It’s really easy to procrastinate on the things you need to for yourself, because other things get in the way. You may need to do stuff for work, but that may wait. You, making time for you, is an active self-care.

You also need to make sure that you’re mentally and emotionally okay. If you need to see a therapist, you need to make time to do so. If you need her to see your friends, family, or anyone else who supports you, you need to make time to see them. That is a priority.

Making time for yourself is something that you need to do to optimize your overall productivity and effectiveness. It’s something that you have to set and follow through with. Keeping yourself mentally and emotionally healthy is a priority. You, your friends, your family, and your colleagues deserve to have you at your best.

Roderick Conwi writes at Nourishment Notes about lifestyle development. He is also the author of The Procrastinator's Quick Guide To Getting It Done. To get powerful insights that enhance your day, join his free newsletter.