The Importance Of Me Time and finding some stillness during the hectic everyday life

I was reminded of the importance of taking time for yourself just recently when I read an article by GOOP mentioning the millennials and how many of them are struggling mentally and having difficulty growing up so to speak. The reason for their struggles is the idea that has been engraved in them that you always have to be doing something and that something has to be productive. Us humans really can’t function our best if don’t take the time to just be and relax. The key to happiness is finding balance inside. It’s good to be bored and just let the mind wonder.  It’s important to teach the children the value of quiet time and just being present in the moment. You don’t always have to be doing something. It’s good to just be and let the brain relax.

There are many cultures that value the break in the day and they have an afternoon tea of coffee break as a cultural phenomena. Danish people have “hyggee” which is time to just enjoy life and spend time with loved ones. It’s all about being kind to yourself and appreciating the moments of being with family and just relaxing. Finland has their coffee break “pulla tauko” in the afternoon and I remember my grandparents always having one when I was growing up in Finland. They are living way past their 90s so they must know something about enjoying life and the secret to living a long life.  Since I moved to the US and got used to the fast paced of the society, I pretty much forgot about the coffee break. I worked many years without taking a lunch break and just eating through my lunch. It’s a lot easier to do when you are younger but gets harder the older you get. Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve really noticed how important it is to take some “me” time everyday even if it’s just a few minutes where you can do an activity you really enjoy or just sit and clear your mind. As a parent I’m trying to help my children to do the same because they can get completely overwhelmed with school work and activities. You add the electronic devices to the mix and the brain never gets a rest. As it was pointed out in the GOOP article many children struggle with the concept of slowing down so it’s important that children get taught the importance and how to just be without being constantly entertained.

Ways to find some “me” time during the day and to just slow down and enjoy the moment

• Take 15 minutes and do your favorite activity such as a reading or going for a quick walk
• Sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and just let the mind wonder
• If you have children at home, take a moment to talk about the day without having any distractions of TV or phone or electronic devices
• If you are a stay at home mom and have small children in the home, try and find a quiet activity the children can do while you take a moment to take deep breaths. You can even have them watch a kids show for 15 minutes so that you can take a breather and feel more energized. The little screen time is not going hurt them as long as it’s limited.
• Check your favorite social media or blog and just enjoy the time but be aware online negativity and going down the rabbit hole of surfing online
• Take a short nap – getting enough sleep is vital for mental health and this is true especially with children and teenagers. Their developing minds need the sleep.
• Reminding yourself that it’s ok to just be and enjoy the moment, you don’t always need to be doing something. This is especially important if you have children. By teaching by an example of taking a moment to just be, the children will learn the valuable skill as well. This is return will help them later in life ward off stress and find happiness inside that is not attached to external things

What’s your favorite way to unwind? Please comment below.