Take a few minutes to answer this mini quiz. Be a ready with a pencil and paper. Even a little strip of paper will do. Don’t say you cannot find anything to write on. Even the marginal white space in newspaper would do. Answer the questions in Yes and No.

    1. I keep running from pillar to post all day to meet errands:
    1. My to-do list includes hardly one or no things that include some time for myself
    1. Going to the beauty parlour or indulging in a spa treatment sound like a herculean task.
    1. If I divide my day in two parts, the things I do for others will far out-weigh the things I do for myself.
    1. I consider facials a luxury and waxing my legs a taxing job. Who is going t watch my legs anyway. I head for the razor to save myself from going all the way to the parlour.
    1. I don’t remember when I went for a movie or having a cup of coffee all by myself.

We hope you have recorded your answers with utmost honesty. Since you have decided to devote some time to read this article, it shows you are battling to have some time for yourself. Apparently if you have answered a yes more than 4 times in the above quiz it’s time you hit the panic button. If you answered a yes three times, it’s time you gave serious thought to the way you are living your life.

We live lives in the fast lane and are constantly juggling our day-to-day responsibilities. Finding as little as 15-30 minutes a day of uninterrupted, “It’s all about me” time often sounds like a far-fetched dream. We tell you how you can kick your shoes, walk on the lush green grass and smell the roses.

Me-time

Me-time: Having some time for yourself does you good

Get rid of the guilt pangs: Women need to stop feeling guilty in the first place for taking time out for themselves. You work devotedly for your family putting yourself often nowhere in your own priority list. For you spending time for yourself when actually others might need you is close to committing a heinous crime. “How can I be so selfish”, you keep telling yourself.

This leaves you are tired, burnt out and pulled in far too many directions taking a toll on your productivity, energy levels and health. [su_highlight]Remember, me-time is not selfish behaviour it is a step for self-care[/su_highlight].

Make the most of “me” time: If you manage your time well, you will realize you often end up having little chunks of time where you are in your own sweet company. It is wise to keep a list of things to do read beforehand so that you make the most of the time you have.[su_highlight] Little things make a huge difference[/su_highlight].

Eliminate time-wasters: Identify which are the activities you tend to linger on more than it is required. Do you end up wasting a lot of time on social media than it is actually required to? Eliminate these time suckers and you will be pleasantly surprised to know you can get more of your ‘me-time.’

Learn to say “no”: Say these golden words to eliminate unnecessary fear and stress from your life.

Commit to a minimum of 20 minutes of “me” time every day. Do something (or nothing at all) and simply bask in the joy of now. Enjoy your company. Mentally let go off all your responsibilities and relax your mind. You can take a hot water shower, listen to music, dance, call a friend or read. You can even pursue your hubby of knitting or painting.

Say goodbye to wishful thinking and embrace yourself with a renewed hope and enthusiasm.