Take 5 to reduce stress

I am a person that thrives on staying busy and being productive. Because of this, my mind is always on, and it takes quite a bit of time to shut down. Most nights, it takes me some time to actually get my mind to stop running and be still and silent.

I started reading before bed to unwind and help my mind slow down to rest. So far, it seems to be helping.

I tend to forget to take time for myself to be still and just enjoy the silence. I push myself so hard all the time that I eventually burn myself out, and my body literally screams STOP!

I have been working on being more balanced with everything I have on my plate and preventing a crash and burn. Taking short breaks every now and then is good for you.

With fall starting, the garden needs to be harvested and preserved, and the yard prepared for winter. My plate is rather full these days. The preserving processes take time and energy that usually fill my entire weekend or evenings.

To help combat not overloading my plate, I have scaled back on my schooling. Thankfully, I can go at my own pace for the program I am in, so as long as I complete at least one form of assignment a week, my attendance stays current.

I also had to move my oldest into her dorm a couple weeks ago, and the changes within the house are still a bit of an adjustment. You can read about the move-in and how my husband and I are handling it next week Monday.

Self-care

Even with so much going on, I have been squeezing in my time. This can be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour.

Some things I have been doing for myself are reading, yoga, meditating, walking, and resting. I have been trying to read every night before bed. During my lunch breaks, I take a walk, meditate, or just relax. I am fortunate to have my own office with plenty of room so I can get in a quick 15-minute session of yoga or rest. I will lie on the floor with my legs on the chair or wall for 10-15 minutes to help with lymphatic drainage. I close my eyes, relax and just relax. On other days I will do a meditation session that can be anywhere ranging from 6 to 15 minutes.

In the evenings, when I am not busy preserving food, cleaning, or going over school work with the kiddos, I sit out on the patio with the hubs and have meaningful conversations, spend quality time with the kiddos doing something they enjoy, or snuggle up with my great dane and watch a good show on the boob tube.

These short pauses have increased my productivity, mental health, and relationships. In the past, I would push myself till I crashed, spending an entire weekend in burnout, unable to do anything other than rest.

What do you like to do to recharge or fill your cup? You do not have to do the things I do. It can be anything that fills your cup. Maybe going to the salon for a cut and color, the nail salon for a manicure or pedicure, a hike through nature, shopping, floating in a tube, laying out by the pool or beach, grabbing a coffee with a friend, or chatting on the phone. You name it; you can do it for yourself no matter how busy you are.

It is also good to ask for help. Communicate your needs to your loved ones. When they understand your need for personal time to refill your cup so you can give your all to them, they will step up and help you out in certain areas to have time for yourself.

If you do not have a family or community to lean on, open yourself up to others that can help you and build that community. Try getting me time in before or after work or during your lunch break.

If you have children and can not squeeze me time in during the day, try to get 10-15 minutes and the evening in after they go to bed. You could do a face mask or foot soak at home with some good-smelling candles burning. You could read, listen to a podcast, write, or enjoy silence.

Making time for yourself needs to become a priority. You can do this without breaking the bank or consuming too much time. When you begin this self-care practice, feel you can reflect on it to bring you calm and peace.

Meditation

When you feel overwhelmed, booked to the brim, or overloaded, take 5 and picture your me time.

- Close your eyes and imagine the thing you enjoy for your me time.

- Imagine the smells that surround you during your me time.

- Imagine the sounds.

- Take a deep breath and feel the feelings you get from your me time.

- Let that breath out.

- Feel that calm surround you and bring you peace.

This quick 5-minute practice will remind you of the importance of prioritizing your time while giving you some calm till you can get in your me time.

Hopefully, these tips help you out the way they have helped me. And remember that if you have hit the crash and burn, it is ok to take a pause to rest and recoup from overexerting yourself. It is entirely ok to not have the energy to go for dinner with friends, that party, or that movie. Taking time for yourself is OK!

I want to know. What do you think?