Firstly, sincere apologies this is so late. Yeah, I have a life! I was going to blog during Saturday but spent it doing other things and when I finally sat down, totally forgot I was supposed to be blogging. I remembered far too late to get something out on Saturday, so Sunday it will have to be. Oops.The next task I'm setting is rather apt really. Because this is going to be a two week task - you won't need to link up this Thursday, nor will there be a new task next Saturday. This task will therefore have a linky open on Thursday 15th March.
Why? Because it's Monkey's birthday next Friday and he has a party next Saturday. I am going to be busy with birthday and party preparations and I also need something else that is important in my life - time for me.
Me time is something that is very easy to leave out of a busy life - when we are time poor, it's easy to keep on working, move onto the next thing on our to-do list, head down, full pelt. But nobody can keep working like that all the time - occasionally, you need to take a step back and have a break. It refreshes you and often can make you more effective at whatever it is you do. What is not to like?
The task therefore is simple (and readers who have not been taking part in LifeCircle thus far might want to join in with this one as a one-off if they like). I want you all to make time for me time. How and when is up to you. Personally, I'd say you need a significant chunk of time at least once a week, to do whatever it is you want to do. During this time, you shouldn't be looking after anyone else but yourself, so parents should be childfree. Obviously, if your idea of a good time is a long walk with the dog, then do so, but don't consider it me time if you feel you have to take the dog for a walk!
Be good to yourself. Book time in your diary to do this and stick to it. Obviously, if you have children, you may need to arrange childcare and the timing may reflect when partners are not working too. I know mothers, especially with babies, can stress about leaving little ones, even with their dads but stick it out as much as you can. Try to make your me time away from the house or have your partner take children out if you want to have your me time at home.
During your me time, you're not going to do any jobs, or tick anything off any to do list you have. If you want to catch up with friends, then do so. The focus should be doing things for YOU, not anyone else. It can be as simple as going for a coffee, read a book or having a long hot bath. You could go to the cinema, or have a beauty treatment. Go shopping, have a meal with a friend, or go and do a hobby you never have time to do, be it archery or skydiving. (OK, so the last one is probably unlikely!)
You'll have a little more than two weeks to do this so you should have at least two opportunities for some me time. If you want, feel free to take some me time more often - perhaps some shorter breaks more regularly, but make time for one big chunk of time each week as 10 mins to have a quiet cuppa and isn't really me time, even if it is nice to have! As soon as you can, put some time into your diary for the next few weeks. Once you've done it a few times, it will become a habit but it needs you to get to that point so putting it in the diary formalises it and hopefully will make you make time for it.
Blog your results - how you felt about making time, how easy it was to set it up, whether you managed it, how it went. Do you make time for yourself as a matter of course? How did you feel afterwards? Did it have an effect on the rest of your life? Is it a habit you want to develop further?
Remember, this is a two week task. Longer actually, as you will have until 29th March to link up as I always leave the linky open for two weeks. Plenty of me time to be had before then.
In the meantime, I'm off to enjoy my break from LifeCircle with my soon-to-be 7 year old Monkey. And my me time. Enjoy yours!