Throughout your life you’re going to face situations when you feel the need to juggle a multitude of activities and people before taking care of yourself. Between school, your family, friends and even a job, it’s easy to lose yourself in the mix and become extremely exhausted. Believe it or not, there is enough time in a day for you to find an hour to tend to yourself.
It’s The Simple Activities That Add Up
Whether it’s taking a bubble bath or going for a walk, simple activities can mean a great deal to your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. At the end of the evening, take an hour of your time that you would normally spend doing something productive and focus on something you love to do instead. Read a book, watch your favorite TV show, give yourself a facial, go for a run, create a craft. You’re still keeping your mind and body active, but taking a break from the activities that may be stressing you out.
Friends Mean The World
With all of your commitments, you probably don’t have time to hang out with your friends as much as you’d wish. Set aside an hour or two once a week to go out for coffee or ice cream, or go to a friend’s house and just hang out. Catch up on everything that has been going on in each other’s lives. It’s important to keep relationships with your friends strong and even the smallest of activities with your friends can keep you feeling refreshed.
Family Matters
Similar to seeing your friends, maybe you only see your family for a limited amount of time between everyone’s commitments. Tell your parents that you want to have a family dinner date on a Saturday night. Go out to the family’s favorite restaurant, or have the whole family create a homemade meal, like pizza, from scratch. You’ll be spending time with your family while creating valuable memories through bonding with them.
Invest in God
God gives you the strength and the ability to continue when you don’t feel like you can handle anymore. So, make investing time and energy into your relationship with Him essential in your daily life. Seek rest in God and He will provide what you need to make it through life’s stresses. Even if you just pray for five minutes before going to bed, read the bible while eating breakfast, journal for 15 minutes during a free period, memorize scripture on your way too and from practice, listen to worship music while studying and doing homework, all these little acts will help center you on Christ who wants to help carry your load.
No matter what the reason for being super busy, it’s important to keep your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health, well, healthy. Don’t overwork yourself all of the time. Even if you have a busy schedule, it’s important to make sure that you take time out for yourself as well as for the people around you. Yes, you’re adding more to your “To Do” list, but these activities give your mind a break allowing you to recharge so you can continue tackling those tasks.
Caring for yourself is different that having a “me first” or self-care approach to your life. It’s about recharging, resting and finding rejuvenating so you can better understand who God is creating you to be. Care for yourself as a way of honoring God and pursuing His purpose for your life.
