 Did you know it has been more than 6 months since we have come out of lockdown here in Ballarat? With it looking likely we will be able to keep going, uninterrupted, it is more important than ever to pace ourselves. This includes taking time to plan for holidays and events, making time for self care (not just a lockdown to-do list!) and making this ‘return to normality’ as sustainable as possible. The last 2 years have shown us that it is possible to stop completely, and life will continue around us. But instead of forced breaks, we need to learn how to make time for ourselves, for rest, for self care and for relaxation.
This brings us to the idea of self care. Taking time to look after yourself and do something you enjoy or that will relax you. It doesn’t need to be a big commitment, sometimes 30 seconds is all you need to reset and relax a little. The term ‘self care’ has a lot of different connotations, with some people making it look like a week long yoga ashram retreat or full day spa days are the norm. Self care can be as simple as 30 seconds to take a few deep breaths, a couple of minutes to stretch, or an hour to finally declutter that workspace. Other examples of self care include making a to do list (and delegating!), making time to tackle that stressful thing (email inbox comes to mind) or catching up on work so you can relax with no pressing tasks to procrastinate on. Self care is anything that makes you feel better! To be able to make time to relax, you need to plan and create the time for yourself. Do you have a time through the week that is just yours? A chunk of time to fill your cup and do something you enjoy? A physical activity, like walking, running, dancing lessons or a gym sesh, a creative time for sewing, painting and creating, a time to grab a coffee with a friend or read a book in the sunshine. Now that we are back to the frantic pace of life, carving out this time can be more important than ever to keep you energised and looking forward to the week ahead, instead of running on empty to the next obligation. Have you planned out your year? Including when you are going to take a break or a holiday? This may seem like a completely foreign concept at the moment, we have barely been able to plan for next month, let alone the year! For Kristian and myself, we plan mini holidays at home, trips in the school holidays and ‘no work weekends’ where we won’t talk or think about work for the full 2 days. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but when you have a business, work conversations can happen anytime unless there are strict boundaries in place. Preparing for a break can be just as important as taking the time away. Decide what needs to be done before you go, and get it done, so you can relax knowing that you are all up to date. So let’s make time to get away on holiday, have holidays at home, make time for ourselves in day to day life, even if it is just 30 seconds at a time!
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