Everyone knows time is money, or have at least said that to themselves before, but life isn’t like that. Sometimes rest, relaxation, and getting out of your head will help prevent burnout and resentment of your typical environment. As a workaholic, I have always had a hard time permitting myself to have time for myself. So here are several ways you can make time for yourself.
- 1. In the kitchen
Plan what you are going to eat when you know you’re going to be busy. My boyfriend and I have the best system in place for the food we eat so that we still cook at home nearly every night, and it only takes 20 minutes every day. First off, to save money, we buy our meats in bulk for the entire month and freeze them. Then, we defrost what we need in water overnight in our refrigerator for the next day, which keeps the food safe and at a correct temperature. Next, I will either have a frozen vegetable mix from our freezer that I can sauté with a seasoning or make fried rice with or I will come up with a vegetable dish that I want to cook or eat, which sometimes (or a lot of times) is broccoli (mmm… my fav veggie!). And then, I may cook rice on the side. All of these things we love, and they all take 20 minutes to make. I know it still takes some time, but usually, if you go to any fast food joint nowadays and sit in the drive-thru lane, you’re wasting about 20 minutes there anyways, plus usually, you have to go out of your way to get it too.
Pro tip: Buy an oversized sheet pan and keep it in your oven. We often cook one or two plate components at a time.
2. At work
Organize and prioritize. I know this sounds obvious, but if you know what you have to do and you list it out with some prioritization, then you can always keep up, and you won’t be so overwhelmed all the time. For example, I’m constantly running out of time. I have two real jobs that keep my income flowing. Still, I’m continually asking myself what’s next, so I list it, prioritize it, and whatever I don’t get to today, I can get to tomorrow, as long as my top priority items got done today. Also, make sure to set good boundaries around your work so that if you need to get up and do something for yourself, you allow yourself to get up and do that. For example, take a break, get some fresh air, or even tackle a good workout of things you may need to do.
3. Chores
Chores are always something I slack on a bit. Just get the chores done! It’s not that hard and probably won’t take that long, plus you’re probably wasting more time worrying about it and not doing it than just doing it. I have to tell myself this often!
4. Social Life
Going out and being social is fun; let’s be honest, we all need it too, but sometimes we get out of hand with it. I did this in NYC a lot, and while I have no regrets, I also look back and think that all that socialization and drinking and taking on smoking cigarettes took a toll on my health, my career, my sanity, my attitude, my wallet, and my time to rest. So go out with friends and be social, but be mindful, ask yourself, is it getting too late? Am I indulging too much? If the answer is yes, it’s time to go home because rest is generally more important than the party that could throw you off tomorrow.
5. In the morning
Aim to be part of the 5 AM club with me and catch the sunrise! I get up around 6 AM to wake up, have some warm lemon water, and journal. It wasn’t always like this, but it starts my day off a lot slower than if I were to be rushing around getting ready for work because I woke up late, and I allow myself to drink water, coffee, eat breakfast, and then begin my day on the right foot. It’s honestly a game changer to give yourself more time to enjoy the morning and go to bed just a little bit (or a lot a bit) earlier.
I hope this post helps! It’s taken me a long while to get there, but it’s so worth it. If you’ve found this post helpful, please share with others by posting your wins on Instagram and tag me @robbiebramanhealth ! And if you haven’t yet, sign up for my newsletter below.