Struggle to take time for yourself? Here’s the top seven tips that I’ve seen help me do just that as a workaholic!
If you’re type-A, a perfectionist, a driven human being, or a rockstar in whatever roles life has you playing right now, you’re probably a little bit like me. You find it time to take time for yourself. Especially if you’re a women… we tend to automatically put ourselves and our own health on the back burner ALL THE TIME. Am I right??
After starting my own business, I quickly got to that “burn out” phase. But it definitely wasn’t the first time! See, I tend to put my ALL into everything I do, and I’ve always been that way! As a competitive athlete when I was younger, to an intern and student throughout college and my masters program, to now, as a business owner.
But the thing is, my biggest strength that has helped me get to where I am today, being extremely driven and giving my 110% to everything I do, has also become a huge pitfall for me. It’s because of this personality of mine, that I also struggle (really struggle), to shut off ever, or take any time for me, or simply BE PRESENT in my personal life sometimes. And I began realizing it more than ever as I started my own business, and knew things needed to change.
So if you’re like me, and struggle to shut off or take time for yourself — I think you’ll find this post useful.
Here’s the top 7 tips to Take Time for Yourself I’ve been implementing in my own life! Let me know below in the comments which one you’ll be implementing!
Remind yourself you DO DESERVE time to yourself
- So many of us go getters out there — tell ourselves that we don’t deserve to rest yet. That we haven’t done enough yet. That we haven’t reached _____ yet. Or is that just me? 🙂 YOU DESERVE REST TIME. Say it to yourself until you believe it. And then follow the next few steps 😉
Discover what “me” time looks like to you, and then commit to a minimum of 15-30 minutes of “me” time every day: “Doesn’t exercise count as ‘me’ time?”
- What does relaxation and recharging look like for you? It’s different for everyone! See for me, I recharge alone. I like to say I’m an extro-introvert. I love social situations, but then at the end of the day, I like to just be alone. Whereas say someone like my best friend or my boyfriend — who recharge WITH people. If they could choose, they’d never be alone!
- Whatever recharging and relaxing looks like for you –give yourself at LEAST 15 minutes of it daily 🙂
Take a Vacation/Work Sabbatical to Really Get Away
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- After over 6 months of working tirelessly since starting my business online in September, I didn’t realize just how badly I needed a break and to get away – to COMPLETELY shut off.
- This last month I decided to head down to South Florida to stay at the Carillon Wellness Resort in Miami for the weekend. Like I said, I didn’t even REALIZE how much I needed this shut off time and break away from work until I got there and just felt all my muscles relax for the first time in a long time. The resort was AMAZING (see the video below for my vlog of it), and it was exactly what I needed!
- Here’s my challenge to you: whether it’s just a staycation somewhere in town but still let’s you relax, or it’s a vacation in a new, fun city… take one sooner than later! Make it a fun adventure for you and someone else 🙂
- Video of my time at the Carillon Resort:
Track Your Day & Identify Time Wasters
- “I just don’t have time to take a break” (or eat healthy/workout is another common one haha). But going back to not having time to take a break to rest. Yes, I have no doubt you are super busy, so am I. And I too used that excuse for waaay too long. But truth is, we ALL have time for the things that we make important to us. But we also all waste time places!
- My challenge to you? Track your day, hour by hour. Where do you waste time? What things are stealing away your time but not adding value to your life?
- PS: really think you’re tight on time? Sign up for my free training on 4 Strategies for Lasting Fat Loss for the Busy Life right here, and learn how to get results without hours in the gym or kitchen.
Delegate
- Just because you CAN do everything, doesn’t mean you should. Man did I for way too long try to do EVERY thing when it came to my business, just because I had learned how to do it all and knew I could. Yet, I finally sat back (after being overworked and overstressed), and thought, how much time am I wasting doing the things I could delegate to others, so that I could do what I am TRULY great at and what I genuinely enjoy. Why am I sitting here wasting hours setting up FB ads or creating inforgraphics for my instagram… when I could pay others who specialize in that, and then focus on what I love — taking care of my 1-1 clients and planning/creating new content for all of you out there!
- Delegate, delegate, delegate… anything you can. This summer, I took on not one, but THREE interns. This way, I can delegate some things and not be overly stressed which use to result in ending my 12 hour work day and still feeling there was so much to do.
Create a Daily Routine (including a great morning one to start the day right!)
- This is HUGE. The first thing I do with ALL of my 1-1 clients, both for business coaching and nutrition/fitness coaching, is to have them create a morning routine for success. I’ve seen the lack of results when I get off of my routine, and I see JUST how much I can get done and how good I can feel, when I get back on my early morning routine.
- Sign up for my newsletter here if you want the secrets to the perfect morning routine formula 🙂
Learn to Say “No”
- It’s so important, even the NY Times wrote an article on why you should be doing it more. See, we live in a ‘yes’ culture, where it’s expected that the person who is going to get ahead is the go-getter who says yes to everything that comes their way, but I realized it was when I learned to say no that not only my career took off, but my life became a whole lot better – as I had more time to focus on what was important to me and adding value to my life.
- So the last tip and challenge for you: say no more. Your instant answer should actually be NO, not yes. And only when you can convince yourself it’s important enough or going to push you forward… should you change that no to a yes in your mind.
So here’s the TOP TIPS I’ve found helpful as someone who struggled to take time for myself. And I’m definitely not perfect now either. But I’m trying. And here in the Fresh Fit n Healthy Family, it’s all about progress and giving it your best, not perfection.
So let me ask you, what tips will you be implementing??
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