You Don't Need To "Earn" Your Me-Time
One of the biggest differences between me and my husband is the fact that he can come home, put his feet up and rest after a long day at work.As for me? Work is ongoing. There is really no such thing as "after work," because I'm always working. As an entrepreneur who works from home, there is no real time for me to clock out. I keep working until I don't.However, I won't blame it on my work-from-home lifestyle. I was like this when I worked in a traditional office, and I know plenty of women who also believe, "Why are you on the couch if there are things to do?"We believed that you get to sit around doing nothing after dinner is cooked and dishes are washed and lunches are packed and kids are tucked into bed.
It's part of the reason why so many moms I know are exhausted every morning—because they waited until the kids went to sleep to have any time to themselves. They wait until 10 p.m. to take a breather and read magazines or watch grown-up TV and by the time the quiet settles in, they cherish it and inevitably stay up way past their bedtimes.
It's taken some getting used to, but now I've flipped it. I've begun taking my me-time where I can get it. I'm slowing down, enjoying a longer lunch, having a mid-day dance party, reading more books.Every now and again, I catch myself falling back into those bad habits. I push myself and I push myself to complete everything on my to-do list (and maybe even a little of tomorrow's to-do list) before I allow myself the chance to rest and relax.But what I've discovered is that having regular moments of relaxation (yes, even when the sink is piled high with dishes or the kids' homework hasn't been checked) is the key to a supremely blissful life. Having a minute to breathe and let your brain re-calibrate is good for your mental health. It's in those moments of downtime that new business ideas or solutions for problems that have been bugging you for weeks can emerge, seemingly out of nowhere.You do not have to "earn" your me-time. Your me-time is yours for the taking simply because you are you. Simply because you exist. It is your sacred right to take time for yourself, whenever and however you need it.