Top Tips for Making More Time for Yourself in the New Year
Top Tips for Making More Time for Yourself in the New Year
Between Christmas shopping on Oxford Street, planning for New Year’s Eve and getting yourself to all those seasonal parties, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the rush at this time of year. One of the best ways that you can treat yourself is by setting aside some time to do the things that make you happy, so here are some tips to make sure you keep me-time at the top of your to-do list.
Set aside one evening per week
It’s so easy to get swept up in work, responsibilities, family obligations and even your health. Although you may think you’re doing the right thing by spending hours cooking healthy dinners or squeezing in that extra gym session on a Monday morning, a simple night in catching up on sleep and relaxation can do wonders. Often you just need to let yourself have a night off.
Promise yourself one night a week where you do nothing. Skip the gym, enjoy some left overs, put your favourite music on and just relax. Take a bath, read that book that’s been collecting dust on your bedside table or take a look at some of the meditation courses that are available in and around London. Whatever you choose, don’t be afraid to revel in the fact that you deserve to just do nothing sometimes.
Switch off from the online world
In today’s world everything and everyone is connected, meaning you feel even guiltier if you don’t reply to that email or instant message right away. Many forms of social media, online video platforms and apps are actually designed to fire up our synapses in a way that makes us want to continue spending time on them.
How many times have you thought you’ll quickly take a peek at Twitter – only to be engulfed by the internet for hours? Switch off, unplug and prioritise your you-time accordingly. You’ll be surprised what a difference it makes.
Remember that you get out what you put in
Figure out why it is that you procrastinate by working out your rhythm and listening whenever your mind tugs away from work. Is it wandering simply because you don’t want to be doing what you’re doing, or do you genuinely need a break? Figuring this out will actually help you in the long run and has the potential to make a big impact on your productivity. With a little practise, you’ll be able to address why you’ve hit a wall instead of simply allowing yourself to be swept away with the tide of procrastination.
Thomas Frank’s advice on this gives a great insight into how to plan your breaks well, without caving in to online video binges and spending hours tapping the same three apps on your phone in a bid to find updates.
Change your lifestyle for the better
The key to it all is lifestyle. If you spend your personal time doing things that nourish you and learn to make that time non-negotiable, you’re going to be stunned by just how much more energised and assertive you feel. Healthy alone time is best spent doing that which inspires and motivates you, be that through taking a course on how to get some creativity or fitness into your regime or catching up on that novel you always promised yourself you’d write.
The focus is on positivity. Keep away from things that make you feel drained and prioritise the company of those who make you feel invigorated and inspired. And the golden rule? It’s always OK to put yourself first.
What’s your go-to strategy for carving out some you-time?