In our daily lives we sometimes find ourselves in the hustle and bustle of routines. We live our lives based on the schedules we ourselves create. Whether it’s work or personal, there are schedules to make, appointments to keep, events to attend, meetings to plan and travel to do. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I tend to forget about me. I get lost in that mix of things that we just “have to do.”
Take for instance those invitations, to family gatherings or social functions. I use to make myself crazy trying to make it to two parties in one day, and I never really got a chance to enjoy myself at either one. Or what about those last minute invitations that come a day before the event? Feeling a sense of obligation, I would rearrange my schedule just to make sure I was able to attend.
Recently I have found myself in “self-reflection,” asking myself two questions: “What works for me?” and more importantly “What does not?”
In the midst of travel, events, both personal and work-related, I have made a conscious effort to schedule what I call “Time for ME.” It’s usually a weekend where I try not to schedule anything and allow myself to enjoy the things I like to do. Most recently I have enjoyed just spending time at home, watching a movie, reading a book, baking, even getting to those projects that I have been putting off because “I didn’t have time.”
In our daily lives we make time for so many things, why not make time for yourself?
Gabriela Contreras is the director for meeting planning, Women of the ELCA.
Photo by Gabriela Contreras.