Feeling frazzled? Take Back 10 Hours A Week with These Simple Tips
10/04/2021 2021-05-13 9:34Feeling frazzled? Take Back 10 Hours A Week with These Simple Tips
What would you do if you had an extra 10 hours every week to take time for yourself? I’m not talking about spare time to do the groceries, pay the bills, reply to emails or squeeze in a begrudging workout. I’m talking about 10 extra hours for doing the things you love, and that leaves you feeling recharged and fulfilled. How would you spend it?
I ask this question of a lot of people, and for many, it seems like a pipe dream. That is until I show them how manageable 10 hours of ‘me time’ actually is when you’re armed with the proper techniques.
This guide is for you if you’re ambitious, looking to reach new success levels and are open to new ways of thinking to achieve a productive balance between work and personal time. If you’re a workaholic who believes in working harder, not smarter, it probably won’t work. It would help if you were open to change and ready to focus on a new and clear path toward success.
And before you start, you need to let go of any guilt you hold about taking time out for yourself. Often it can feel like you’re letting yourself down if you’re not run off your feet and constantly pushing to do more. We see time and time again how more hours at work doesn’t always lead to more success, so you need to reframe your approach and feel good about prioritising your own personal needs and time. When we’re feeling refreshed and re-energised, we’re able to give more to those around us!
As for finding 10 extra hours every week, the trick is simple; schedule it in your calendar, and have the willpower to stick to it.
For most of us, our ‘me time’ is made up of whatever time is left over at the end of the working day or week when all of your work is done, the home is cared for, chores are finished, and you’ve fulfilled your commitments to friends and family. For many, that doesn’t equate to a lot of time, and it’s all too easy to revert to old habits filling it with other chores or even added work.
Scheduling your calendar is like creating a budget. You allocate money for your mortgage or rent, the groceries, power bills, transport, school fees, and even dining out and entertainment. With a manageable dollar figure next to every aspect of your life, it’s easy to watch what you’re spending and stick to your budget.
Time works the same way. Schedule everything you need to get done into your calendar – work tasks, food preparation, household chores and personal errands – and include 10 hours of ‘me time’ wherever you see fit.
Equally as important as scheduling your time is deciding how you’ll spend it.
Your ‘me time’ activities should always be things you enjoy doing. Whether it’s spending more time with your family, prioritising romance, working on your side hustle, taking on a new hobby, reading a book or studying, it can be as productive or as relaxing as you like.
A shining example of how successful simply scheduling your 10 hours of free time every week is my client, Katie.
With guidance, Katie took to her calendar and blocked out 10 hours labelled ‘Freedom’. As a mother of four, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to find 10 full hours, and that’s ok. If at first, you can only find three hours still schedule in your ‘me time’. But, like Katie, you’ll probably find that 10 hours is really achievable.
When we next checked in, Katie was at the beach with the white sand and waves to herself and had just taken a swim in the ocean, a high-priority task on her ‘me time’ menu. She’d been for her first run the same morning and was feeling so proud of herself for taking control of her newfound freedom.
What would you do if you had 10 extra hours every week to spend on yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I’m always on hand to mentor and guide you through your journey of prioritising your ‘me time’.