When you can schedule some me-time into your busy schedule, you don’t want to waste it. By giving time to yourself you can find new and interesting ways to relax. A lot of busy people use their me-time to check social media or catch up on news stories online. While this is something you may need to do every day, there are more different ways of using the time to help you relax.
Taking some time and doing some stretches is a good way to help you to relax. Try and choose a quiet spot or go to a room where you can close the door and shut yourself off from other people. If you enjoy yoga then you can use yoga poses to stretch your muscles and calm your mind.
When was the last time you read a book? If you haven’t read a fictional novel in a while then you’ll really appreciate losing yourself in the story. Try to choose a real book with actual paper pages rather than reading on an electronic device. By reading a real book you get the physical experience of turning the pages and holding the book and you don’t have the glare of a screen. This gives your eyes a break and offers a different experience, especially if you’re usually on a computer screen for many hours per day.
The advantage of a book is that you can pick it up for a short time and enjoy the distraction or devote a longer time to reading and lose track of time completely. You can grab some me-time during a lunch break at work to read or devote half a day to reading on a weekend. Reading lets you go wherever the story takes you. It can be educational, it can increase your vocabulary and it will help you to relax.
If you tend to avoid people because you’re too busy then me-time is a good time to catch up with friends. By spending time with a genuine friend it will boost your mood and provide a good distraction from your other activities.
However, if you spend all day with people and you’re feeling overwhelmed by them then me-time is best spent on your own in peace and quiet. If you have a favorite place then take time to go there. If you love nature try and take a walk through a park or along a beach. If you’re working in a big city and you can’t get to a place of nature you may have a favorite café nearby where you can find a quiet corner on your own to just sit and relax.
By taking time out, on your own, you can refocus and feel calm again. This is important if you’re always busy but you don’t feel energized by being around lots of people all day.