YOU Time...The Perfect Antidote for Stress

YOU Time…The Perfect Antidote for Stress

I have talked a lot about stress in the past, the impact which it can take on one’s health, how to manage it through nutrition, lifestyle and relaxation strategies.

There is one element I have not shared with you, which anyone can find profound benefits, even if they don’t identify themselves with being stressed.

And that’s incorporating time for YOU each and every day.

It seems in today’s fast pace culture we always can find time for everyone else, and its easy to put our own needs on the back burner, rationalizing that you can handle it, or you will “rest” tomorrow.

We know how that ends up, tomorrow is always a day away, never today.

I can practically hear some of you saying, “it’s easier said then done, with the chaos in my house, I’m lucky if I get 2 minutes to myself.”

And I get that, although I also understand that there are a lot of seconds that add up doing things that might not be the most productive for us, that we could be using for us.

The benefits of giving yourself space, time alone, are similar to the research we see in people who regularly get out in nature, often to do nothing, but just be. Lower stress, lower blood pressure, increase wellness and happiness and more.

And you don’t even have to do anything. I’m not asking you to meditate, to do breathing exercises (although its fine if you do), all you have to do is be.

I have created my own morning ritual that provides me this space, this is how I start my day best, and if I do not honor this time on any certain day I feel out of balance, a bit “off.” It’s kind of like waking up without enough sleep.

My mornings always consist of a block of writing time, a block of exercise time, and a block of meditation, or just daydreaming…alone. This time of year, I will be on the dock out back or on the patio, or some type of submersion into nature.

And the time thing. I get it, 30 minutes a day is not a reality for a lot of people, and even it is just 2, or maybe 5 minutes, alone, not to be bothered, in your own space, this can provide tremendous value.

Then, maybe you can find 5 more minutes later in the day, and 5 more before bedtime.