To some people, the idea of self-care is foreign. We are so busy dealing with the daily pressures of life, family, career, and other obligations, that the very thought of setting aside deliberate time for ourselves gets pushed aside and may even cause feelings of guilt. Taking care of yourself is important it is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Let’s talk about the importance of taking time for yourself and how it can actually improve your relationships and productivity. Solitude is something most of us don’t prioritize or even value today. With the demands of family and work life, many people are hard-pressed to squeeze in a few minutes for themselves on a regular basis.
It’s important to understand that solitude is not synonymous with loneliness. Solitude is the state of being alone without communicating with others. In contrast, loneliness is the perceived discrepancy between actual and desired levels of social connection. In short, solitude is a choice to be alone; while loneliness is an undesired lack of companionship. Individuals can feel lonely in the presence of others as well as content during periods of solitude. Many associate taking time with guilt. Especially women, when they manage to find a few moments of time for themselves they may associate taking time to guilt. Alone time has interpersonal benefits as well.
Spending quality time on yourself, especially with our busy lives and hectic schedules, has a number of benefits:-
Decreased Stimulation and Emotional Arousal
Because we are energetic beings, we tend to draw energy from others. The more we are surrounded by other people, the more we become influenced by their energy. This is why being around someone who is particularly negative can bring you down, while being around people who are upbeat and positive is contagious as well. Since we draw energy from one another, it is important to take time away from others. This helps us to wind down and get a grip on all that erratic energy, whether it is positive or negative.
Helps to keep a calm and clear head
There are multiple times when we find ourselves mentally overwhelmed, with the amount of information we have to process. Our minds are capable of storing a lot of information but they need time to process it. So taking some time off will help you to organize your thoughts and help you to keep a clearer mind.
Helps to relieve anxiety
According to a Harvard study, people spend 46.9 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they’re doing, and this mind-wandering typically makes them unhappy. When you give time to be on your own, your mind will be set straight and any negative thoughts you may have will get reduced.
You will get to know yourself better
You will only be able to get to understand yourself and how your mind works, if you allocate enough time for yourself. Actually paying attention to the way you process information and think helps you to understand the way your mind works, and in turn get to know yourself better.
Makes you more independent
Most of us surround ourselves with people because we have a need to be social, and are scared to be isolated, which makes our happiness dependent on other people. By spending more time alone you’ll realize that you don’t have to be dependent on other people to be happy.
Allows you to set your priorities straight and be more focused
Giving time to work on the things you’re interested in, and developing skills that will help your career, is one of the major perks of spending time on your own, especially with the amount of work and assignments we have to deal with in a masters course. It helps you to be more productive and in turn feel better about yourself.
There are different ways to spend time on your own. Whether it’s a movie/TV show marathon, listening to some music or reading a book, doing some physical activity or even going for a walk, we must not neglect spending time with ourselves in this busy world.
Take Time to Reflect
Journaling is a great way to release tension and negativity and to take inventory of the good things in your life. You may even consider creating a sanctuary for yourself. If you don’t have an entire room, you can create a special place with just a comfy couch or even a pile of pillows. The idea is to make a place where your brain is conditioned to wind down and relax. You don’t need hours each day either; you’ll be amazed at how spending just 15 minutes of meditation and journaling time will improve your day and your mood.
Exercise
Regular exercise is not just beneficial for your physical health. It also benefits your emotional and mental well-being. Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.
Prioritize Sleep
Sleep has a huge impact on how you feel physically and emotionally. When we don’t get enough sleep, we are more prone to stress, and it affects more than just our physical health. Being overtired also decreases brain function and causes mood disturbances. The sleepy toddler throwing a tantrum is not the only one who suffers the effects of sleep deprivation. We women need our rest in order to handle the pressures of our everyday lives.
Take Time to Feed Yourself Well
Eating right takes time. When we are so busy that we resort to grabbing-and-going, we tend to reach for less than desirable foods, nutritionally speaking. Prioritizing meal planning, prepping, and shopping is an absolute must when it comes to self-care. The better you eat, the better you look and feel on the inside as well as the outside.
The message here is, whatever you decide to do, schedule it ahead of time and then guard that self-care appointment as though it were the most important thing on your calendar. Don’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself. It’s good for you, it’s an opportunity to stop doing things for others and pay attention to your own needs. It doesn’t mean your selfish, at all. You are important and deserve that time.
