Me time
‘Me time’ is a period of time, short or long, when you can relax by having time all for yourself and doing something you truly enjoy. The important thing here is the emphasis on joy, on doing something because you like doing it, not because you think you should or must do it. There is nothing like time alone, spent doing something you love, to recharge your batteries, whether physical, mental or emotional.
‘Me time’ can be extra challenging when you have a young family on top of a fulltime job and weeks of lockdown. It is nonetheless essential for mental wellbeing. However social we may be, we all crave moments of privacy, when we can engage with no one but ourselves.
‘Me time’ can include any of the above activities, and here are a few more ideas for you:-
- Unplug from all electronics and read a book or a magazine.
- Create something, just for fun. Draw, write, sculpt, bake a cake, colour in a colouring book. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s the act of creating that’s important here, not the end result.
- Indulge in your favourite hobby, even if for a short while. There’s nothing like a hobby we love to make us forget about the world outside.
- Learn a new skill. These days you can learn (or at least begin to learn) many new skills via YouTube films. Stretch yourself and learn something you always wanted to do.
- Take a nap – the real, proper thing, in bed, bang in the middle of the day. Put eyeshades on and earplugs in, snuggle up in bed and leave the world behind for an hour. Depending on your living situation, this could be a big – and rare – treat.
