Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
You get off of work, push through the front door with a feeling of relief that you can finally enjoy some free time. Yeah, right? Suddenly, you are impounded with the dog, the kids, the dishes, dinner prep, chores, your partner, and god knows what else…
Though we love our homes and families, they can be quite demanding at times. We say, “So much for that free time.” all too frequently. The truth is, our default reaction to all of these things on our “to-do” list is to, well… do them, whether we really want to or not. We are not likely to enjoy this, as we are not taking time for ourselves or giving our needs a fair share of our time. Doing the things we love is a part of quality self-care. We, women, need this…here’s how to enjoy your free time more.
Spoil Yourself a Bit
If you spend the majority of your free time doing things for other people or just to meet some invisible standard, you’re likely missing out on some joy. When was the last time you actually spent time pampering yourself or doing…nothing? Can’t remember, huh?
It’s time to spoil yourself a little by doing something adventurous or new. Go sign up for that class you’ve always wanted to take, go rock climbing, write that book. Have some freakin’ fun for a change! Get yourself 3D glasses from American Paper Optics and a 3D-enabled TV for an adventurous new way to watch TV alone or with family! Ok, that’s a little whacky, but you get my point.
You don’t necessarily have to spend money either. Identify activities that make you feel something or learn something about yourself and the world around you. Hell, even a walk in the park can be uplifting and inspiring.
Establish a Hobby You Love
Generally speaking, we tend to feel good about how we spend our free time if there is a purpose or some type of goal in mind. This can be found in a home project or a hobby like painting, music, or writing. Whatever it is, I recommend putting it on your calendar regularly, so you won’t forget or push it aside for work. Hobbies are stimulating and give you a sense of pride in yourself. They keep your creative juices flowing and can actually improve mood and overall satisfaction with your life.
Limit Mindless Activities
You’ve heard the stories about people getting addicted to video games and social media. It’s not so hard to do these days, as we are increasingly wanting to blur our days or numb ourselves to problems and “real life”. Unfortunately, though these activities may comfort us in the short term, they do nothing for our overall life-satisfaction. A clue that you might be overindulging in mindless activities is finding yourself glued to a screen hours later. Ask yourself what you’re really getting out of activities like gaming, social media, web-surfing, etc. I’m not saying you can’t enjoy a game or spin on Facebook, but do limit your time so you don’t become addicted to them.
Could you be spending your free time doing other things that benefit your health, life, relationships, and brain more?
