Sometimes Learning to Relax Actually Takes Work!

One of the largest goals I have this year is to learn to take some time each day for myself: to unwind, read a book, watch a show, or do something that is not work.

I type this as I am up working at 9:30 on a Friday night.

You see, learning to relax is work.

You'd think it would not be. You'd think relaxing would be, well, relaxing.

But it's not.

It's stressful. First you have to figure out what you want to do, and then you have to squeeze it in at some point during your day.

I've been doing better at it, though. This was a goal of mine the first of the year. Today's post will outline the things that I have learned in the past two months about learning to relax and find some 'me' time.

1. Schedule it in, at least at first. I had to make a concentrated effort to take my relaxing time, and I could only do it if I had it 'scheduled in'.
   
2. Ease into it. At first I thought "I'm going to do this every single day." Then I realized that would never happen, so I inked it in a few days a week. Now I can take time each day/night without feeling guilty, but it took about a month to get to that point!
3. Figure out what you are going to do beforehand. Trust me, if you don't you will wind up reading emails, dusting, or washing the car. So, get a good book and a nice quiet place to rest, or find the nail polish you want to use, or schedule the massage. Then go do it.
   
4. Be realistic. You aren't going to take half an hour every single day at first. Be fair with yourself or you will get upset when you realize an entire day or two have gone by and you have not taken some 'me' time.
   
5. Let go of the guilt. Being away from the kids, spouse, family, friends, etc, is not a bad thing. we all need that time. Don't try to guilt yourself into not going and doing what it is you want to do. Your family and friends will survive without you for half an hour a day.
6. Don't always make it at the end of the day. Look, you are tired by 9 PM! You've worked all day, made dinner, done chores . . . take some 'me' time when you are refreshed and can really appreciate and enjoy it. Go catch a Saturday matinee; have lunch at a nice cafe; steal a massage over lunch hour. Me time should NOT be the last thing on your list, at the end of the day, when all else is done. You'll just be too tired to enjoy it.