We live in a busy world and adulting has become a never-ending long list that includes daily chores, working, raising your family, maintaining friendships, and a healthy relationship. That doesn’t leave a lot of free time. When there is a bit of free time, it’s often used to catch up on things there wasn’t enough time for in your regular day. What should be time to refresh and regroup, becomes time crammed full of responsibility. It’s important to have free time in our schedules and it’s vital to make your free time me time too.
Free time is ME time
Self-care is proven to refresh and reinvigorate tired bodies and minds. Taking time to care for yourself keeps your energy up and makes it possible to handle your responsibilities. Holding space for yourself is the healthy way to balance responsibility and personal satisfaction. There’s nothing wrong with making sure you have free time in your schedule so you can rest and take time for yourself.
Protecting your free time from distractions and interruptions is important. If you don’t guard your free time people may not respect it. Set limits during your free time to make sure people don’t disrupt you. Here are some great tips for making certain your free time is yours to enjoy.
Tip- Routines help family respect free time. Your family will be better equipped to support your free time when you make it a routine part of your… and their… lives. Creating habits of free time helps your family predict when you’ll be taking uninterrupted time for yourself and normalise it. This helps keep them from distracting or interrupting. An example could be taking 30 minutes in the afternoon for yourself while your children enjoy an activity. Doing this daily creates a predictable routine that kids grow to expect and consider normal.
Empower others to care for themselves. Many people who don’t have enough free time to practice self-care are reluctant to delegate. Allowing others to care for their own needs and encouraging those around you to take responsibilities helps create free time in your schedule. Allowing others to take things off your plate makes it easier to experience regular bouts of free time.
Discuss the importance of free time for everybody. The more you normalise free time and encourage every member of your family to take some, the easier it will be to have some. Allowing others to pursue their own interest and get some peace and quiet doing what they love helps them see the value and respect the practice.
Free time is an important part of your day. When you don’t take some time for yourself to recover from the demands of daily life, you can crash and burn! That time should be distraction free and filled with things you love. Normalise free time and protect it so it’s a regular part of your household routine. When you model this to your children you are helping the next generation do the same. Free time shouldn’t be seen as selfish or indulgent.