I don’t have time for me!
Many people I talk with on a regular basis have the same concerns around their health:
- I’m too busy; I have too many other people/things to take care of.
- When I have time, I’ll focus on me.
- I’m not sure where to start!
- I’ve tried so many diets I don’t think anything will work for me.
I know we are so busy these days, there are so many demands on our time and we don’t always take the time that we need to take care of ourselves. We take care of other matters and people first, and if there isn’t time for me, oh well, maybe tomorrow.
But what happens when we don’t take care of ourselves? You know, we have all been there.
We become sick and experience low energy, chronic headaches, digestive disorders, and are forced to slow down and take time for ourselves. We may even find that we are really not enjoying life as we would like. Doctors start prescribing drugs to ease our symptoms. We take over-the-counter drugs to “get us through the day.”
You really don’t want to let it get that far. You don’t want to hear the doctor using the “disease” word. But when this does happen, know that many health-related issues can be lessened or reversed if you are ready to take control, make a few simple changes, and commit to doing the best you can for yourself.
Here are some ideas for you to follow. Choose one and one only to focus on for the next two weeks or month, whatever it takes to get it apart of your regular routine. Write it down and pay attention to it as much as you can every day.
1. If you feel you are too busy, take account of all the things you do every day. During the day notice if any of these things can wait for another day or time. Ask, “Is this task important to me?”
2. Notice how you push yourselves when you really don’t need to. Focus on the must do’s and allow the other things to wait until you have time to get to them.
3. Notice all your free time (come on, I know you have some) and ask, are you using it to your benefit? Is the computer taking up too much of your time? What about talkers? Are you spending too much time chatting with friends and acquaintances?
4. What kind of excuses are you making not to do the important things in your life? Notice the mind chatter when it is time to focus on you and your priorities.
5. Find one hour, one half hour, or start with five minutes during the day, every day, and make it yours. Write it down in your planner; be consistent such as 8 a.m. or 3 p.m. every day. This is your time, and don’t allow anyone else to squeeze this out of your day. This time is for you. Commit to it. And do something for you! Yoga, meditation, reading, a bath, walk ...
6. Notice how this feels in your gut. Any reaction coming up? “I don’t have time to focus on me!” “I’d feel guilty if I focused on me.” Pay attention to this gut reaction. There is a message in it. What is the message?
