Alright friends, let’s get this over with. There hasn’t been any new content for a while. I know! I’ve been so flat out I’ve neglected L&H. It has been a crazy time for me, complete with a new job, work travel, and uni commitments and I’ve not had any time to do my writing – or finish anything decent at least.

The benefit of such a busy time is that I’ve been able to really appreciate this concept of “Me-Time”. It’s super important that you take some time out amongst a busy schedule to allow yourself to clear your head and relax. So me writing this post today is me being a little selfish and taking some time to do something I love. Which is writing, and building this blog.

In celebration of me actually getting my ass into gear and doing some writing. I thought it would be a perfect time to discuss some amazing ME-TIME ideas, and why taking time out for yourself should be a regular inclusion in your weekly, if not daily, schedule.

I find that it is always difficult to find a good balance between doing what needs to be done, and doing what is best for me. When I get busy, as I have been recently, I find that I cut things out of my life that I really shouldn’t be skipping. I find that going to the gym or going to yoga become more infrequent, and my “quick and easy” meal choices increase. I feel like I can’t afford to slow down, so I keep myself busy in the hope that it improves my decreasing mood.

The busier I get however, the more stressed I feel, and this is usually the much needed time to take a step back and slow down a little. Only, it doesn’t feel like the right time to stop because the anxiety and the stress builds up, and I find myself trying to work harder and faster. Eventually, following this pattern as I have so many times before, I start to feel deflated, annoyed, miserable, and my productivity fizzles before it eventually burns out all together and I’m left feeling pretty crap. It also negatively impacts my physical health and well-being. Eff you Immune System!

Once I find myself in this situation it is a lot harder to live my life. I feel down about the gained weight and the lack of exercise. I feel fatigued and I try to make some changes, usually starting with a diet. This then makes me feel like I’m not allowed to eat the foods that I love or drink alcohol or soft drink.

I’m still working on finding an ideal balance, but I have quickly learned that depriving myself of the things that I like, or the important stuff, ruins the positive vibes I’m trying to create and makes other aspects of life all the more difficult.

Feeling deprived is a very bad frame of mind for your good habits and personal development. When we feel deprived we often backtrack and head in the opposite direction, over indulging or relaxing a little too much, because we convince ourselves that we deserve it. This is where the good habits break. After all, they are much easier to break than the bad.

The truth is – we do deserve a little relaxation and indulgence from time to time. It keeps us grounded, composed. Rewarding yourself for even little achievements is a fair and consistent way to keep on track with your commitments and stay in a productive frame of mind.

Investing time in yourself and your needs might feel a little selfish. Good! Be selfish, Dammit!! It’s better than the alternative (read above: moody, weight-gain, fizzled out).

The first trick is to appreciate the time you get to do some cooking. Cook yourself some healthy meals, prepare for the week so that you have your food ready to go. That way you don’t have to deprive yourself of the small treats like the occasional chocolate or glass of wine, because your main meals won’t be fast food or unhealthy choices. Then, you can make room in your life for other treats and “Me-time” opportunities, and reward yourself for the good choices.

My favourite little treat is actually A BUBBLE BATH!

I love them.

I’ll buy myself some good quality bath products, I’ll light some candles, take a bottle of water with me, and sit for a solid hour just soaking in the tub and trying to relax. If I’m having trouble clearing my mind then a bit of chilled out music helps. If I’m REALLY feeling the stress, the bottle of water might be swapped for a glass of wine. Hey, this is my down time, right?

If you’re a bubble bath fan like me, you should definitely invest in some amazing products from Lush Handmade Cosmetics. Snow Fairy is a Christmas specific item that I like to stock up on, but all of their bath jellies and bombs are amazing. Check their stuff out here: https://au.lush.com/products/bath

 

Another treat necessity is to get a massage!

These don’t take up too much time. It can be twenty minutes or it could be an hour, that choice is yours to make, but it is definitely worth it. Depending on the finance situation I try to go once a week for about half an hour. It can help with general soreness, stress and tension, headaches, but mostly it is just nice to turn your phone off for that little bit of time and ignore the world!

See also my previous blog post on Adult Colouring books: Adult Colouring Books – I need them in my life!

These little beauties are still amazing in my mind! Another great way to spend some down time.

If you’re anything like me (my God, I hope at least one of my readers is!) you’ll find that this stress or anxiety can occur pretty frequently if you forget to take some time out. Find something that you have to look forward to. Whether it is something that you are saving your money for (new clothes? new car?) or an event or holiday, having something to work towards helps keep your goals in mind and reminds you as to why you work this bloody hard in the first place!

For me?

First: Graduation

Second: Holidays! Hello Bali and Europe!

Whatever your goals are, whatever your situation is – don’t neglect your Me-Time!

Do you have any thoughts on this? Let me know!

I’ve got some pretty big things planned for this blog. Now that I have some Holidays booked and paid for I’m really hoping to get a travel element included as well! So here is me – vowing to make writing a regular part of my me-time! Starting with a new writing schedule to keep Lazy and Hungry going. (YAY!)

 

As always, thank you for the support.

Please read, like, subscribe, or comment.

Love,

K x