You’re a working mom who juggles the kids, hubby, household and your job. Your boss assigns you to a five-day work trip abroad and your inner shout of joy at getting some time to yourself is immediately squelched by guilt. Is it wrong to want some “me” time? Here’s why you should intentionally set aside time for yourself, and be happy about doing so.
Parenting is an exhausting job. Whether you’re a working or stay-at-home mum, there are a million things to do, but only 24 hours a day. We all need time to get away from it all and recharge our batteries, to preserve health and well being and prevent burn out. Yet women, who often put the needs of the family above their own, have a tendency to feel guilty about taking time off. “I can’t just drop everything. The children need me, the laundry has to be washed, the floor mopped, dinner put on the table…”
Even if you won’t take time off for your own sake, consider the fact that you have to take care of yourself in order to best take care of others. Let’s look at why you should kick guilt out the window and carve out time for yourself.
TIME WITH YOURSELF IS TIME WELL SPENT
It’s been scientifically proven that alone time can boost productivity by rebooting your brain through relaxation. Dr Sherrie Bourg Carter, a psychologist and author, says alone time makes you calmer, allows you to be focused, reduces anxiety, and leaves you energetic to face the next hurdle of the day. All of those are positives that affect how you perform not just as a parent or spouse, but as an employee or leader of your organization. Not forgetting, being calmer and less stressed will improve your relationships too.
So you’re convinced of the benefits and have decided to make time for yourself. But you’re still feeling this lingering guilt about it. Here’s something else to bear in mind: beating yourself up about having alone time is counterproductive, as explained by Indian yogi, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. All the negative energy you expend in feeling guilt will negate the good that you get out of “me” time. So lose the guilt and learn to feel good about feeling good!
ACHIEVING “ME TIME”
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