Lack of time is a common stressor for many nowadays, and sadly for many, the motto ‘Time is money’ has been drilled into our brains. When we feel that we do not have enough time to get everything on our bridges done, many of us tend to panic. Due to this, we neglect our own wellbeing and fail to take ‘me time’. If we waste time, many of us feel guilty, and sometimes even anxious however, when someone else wastes our time, we can become irritated and impatient. Some people even struggle to fit in ‘me time’ as they associate it with a waste of time or feel guilty about it.
A recent study by ‘Airtasker’ found that a huge 60% of Brits wish they could outsource their tasks! This study revealed London to be the most time poor city in the UK. In particular, 40% of Londoners admit to outsourcing tasks because it saves them time that can be used doing something else. Does this show Londoners are the best at taking ‘me time’ or just that they often have way to much on their bridge?
Sometimes no matter how hard we try to manage our time effectively, it just is not possible with our daily demands. So remember, don’t feel guilty about wasting time, especially if it is for ‘me time’, because…
“The time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted time” John Lennon
Ensure you have some ‘me time’ regardless of how busy your schedule is and don’t feel guilty about it:
1. You deserve it: Without health, in particular mental health, you will have nothing. So outsourcing that pile of ironing so that you can focus on doing something for yourself, that you enjoy, is more important and less ridiculous than you may think.
2. Take ten minutes if you can’t take an hour, a short break and time to yourself if better than nothing.
3. Do not set unrealistic goals. If you know you won’t get something done, accept it and get on with the tasks you can.
4. Remember you do not need to do everything. It won’t be the end of the world if you do not have time to send that email you’ve been meaning to do.
5. Stop feeling guilty if you have generally done something that you think has been a waste of time. Yes, you probably could have done something about this at the time, but if you are feeling guilty, you most likely didn’t. Don’t focus on the problem, focus on the solution. Move on.
