How to Spend Your Time Wisely? – Free Time!

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Time is a valuable treasure!

How to spend your time wisely to have some free time is hardly possible if you are a mother and wife and a working woman. I don’t have children, and I lived most years by myself, which has helped me find enough quality time to recharge my batteries.

As a nurse in Germany, my demanding work-life had made me chronically ill for years; I felt like hardly having a life for myself. By giving all my energy, the enormous demands did break my colleagues and me.

Politics haven’t solved these problems for decades. Can you imagine? Insufficient payments, bad regiments leaving nurses and doctors burned out and chronically ill. Moving to Ireland, I could finally breathe again and recover. Irish people are more easygoing, and that has helped me a lot to ground.

In the Netherlands, it all started again, the demands are not that bad as in Germany, payments are much better, but you still have to forget about yourself and meet the needs. However, the whole caring system works better than in Germany.

I have been ill due to two massive burnouts and an autoimmune disorder, Hashimoto’s Disease, which has cost me years of my life, sickness, and recovery.

As I see it now, it is better to mind yourself early enough and not allow others to consume you. Now, I have to say, being an artist and a free spirit in my heart, I always needed lots of time for my creative mind. Walking in nature has recharged my body and mind.

Money is a solid reason people are kept in their daily prisons needing to pay all the expenses. But I believe if we love ourselves enough, we can take responsibility for our lives and treat ourselves with care and live a happy life.

Effects of Stress on Your Body and Brain

Stress is not bad necessarily. However, enormous pressure daily where we can’t recharge anymore might make us sick finally. Many men have to function every day, like a top athlete, but then the whole day. Mothers who can’t find any rest for themselves, and young people who are stressed out because of their study.

We see now so many young people who already suffer burnouts and chronic diseases; that is ridiculous and a sign that these systems are not working. Nowadays, the demands are pressing people down, combined with the daily pressure of meeting the high living costs, leaving them back wholly exhausted and ill. If this is going to be our future, we need to stop and rethink our life.

If you are already stressed out your whole life, you will not have enough energy and a healthy body for your retirement. I see many older people who are chronically ill, with no life quality left. Would you want that for your life?

The effects massive stress has on your body and brain are hazardous. Pressure lets us not make the right decisions, meaning we are eating wrong, not moving our body enough, and sleeping problems.

High cortisol and insulin are damaging our body’s cells. By keeping them high daily, we get all kinds of inflammations in our bodies. Cortisol will finally decrease due to our exhausted adrenal glands. Our hormones will be imbalanced, ending in all sorts of symptoms.

When I developed Hashimoto’s Disease due to the stress, I ended up sleeping most of the days, not coping with my daily tasks. My energy has left me. Motivation disappeared and made space for depression to take over.

A real problem! 

If you feel depressed, you feel paralyzed in your creativity and inspiration due to an imbalanced body and brain. Stress ongoing for a long time alters the brain cells and can change your brain.

That is an excellent reason to have lots of quality time in your day and life. Quality time is time to renew yourself, recharge your batteries, to recover from stress. It doesn’t matter what helps you reset your brain as long as you have something that gives you a happy feeling.

It could be wellness, sauna, social life, handwork, a garden, traveling, cooking, exercising, hiking, swimming, etc. Every person is different! Drinking alcohol can give a good feeling for a short time, but be aware of developing an addiction to alcohol regarding the brain and body needing it to relax.

Having Some Time For Yourself

Understandably, some people might react sarcastically to the advice of having some time for themselves. During the day, the tasks they have to fulfill might not leave a minute for spending quality time, but I urge you to plan some time for yourself.

If you have children, you could perform a sort of ritual letting them know, now is your time, and they are not allowed to disturb you. They learn such things very quickly, but you have to train them to respect your time.

When they are more grown-up, and in school, you might find more time for yourself, as long you are not working a job. Leave the household alone and do something for yourself will help you to recharge your energy and joy!

If you are still working a job, you could ask someone to mind your children in the evening so that you can follow your needs. There are possibilities enough, but it is up to you to tell your husband and your children that you need time for yourself.

Managing Time Wisely

How to spend your time wisely is something everyone can learn. It is essential to love yourself. Otherwise, you will not be able to take care of yourself. Many people, especially women, have a problem loving themselves. They don’t respect themselves and are not able to set boundaries. But you are learning all your life, and setting boundaries, self-loving care is something you can learn.

Why not end the misery feeling upset and frustrated due to feeling abused and misused by other people, even your family? I know this is not easy, but the earlier you learn to set your boundaries and going through the bad feeling of letting people down, the better you will feel final.

People who are used to you doing everything for them will not be happy initially, passing all their immature feelings onto you, trying to manipulate, belittling, controlling, yelling, etc. Just keep standing tall, and give not in. You will manage it and finally feel free.

Managing time wisely is an essential step towards caring for you. I suffered two burnouts; I know what I am talking about. Plan your time if you are running through the day.

I have to plan my time, even though I have no children, but still a husband, a household, a job, and a business. Being my best in the morning, I  go walking, doing yoga, going to the sauna, or just driving up to a castle, sitting in the sun, drinking a coffee while sensing the surrounding. It calms me. You might feel fresher in the evening. Find out what feels good for you, and plan your time.

How to Distress Yourself?

There are so many ways of having quality time for yourself. Maybe you are a very social person, spending some time with friends is what makes you happy.

Going for lunch or a coffee, doing yoga together, or going for a walk in the forest or along the beach, relaxes you.

You are the captain of your ship. I love to spend time for myself, without friends, without my husband.

But I also love hiking with my husband, the only disadvantage is that we talk a lot, and I am distracted from sensing my surroundings what is exactly filling me with peace and energy.

I love to work in my little garden, see all the plants growing, sitting in the sun, and having a coffee. But I also love visiting friends and family. I try to balance this. However, having time for myself is lifesaving for me.

There are many ways to distress your mind and body. Maybe you love to have a wellness day with lunch, a visit to a beauty salon. Doing something for yourself prevents you from getting frustrated and depressed.

Depression is a serious threat to your body and mind. It steals your motivation and paralyzes you. Deep darkness comes above you, drowning you in sadness and a grey mist where no light will reach you. It is difficult to get out of such a situation; better is prevention than developing by taking control over your life and needs.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it helps to get away from your situation by booking a weekend somewhere in a hotel or Airbnb. It brings freshness into your daily life, visiting other places and seeing different things that help you reset your mind recharging your batteries.

However, most of us don’t have the money and time to spend a weekend visiting another city or place regularly. But you can do very much in your own place to recover from the stress in your life. Sitting on your balcony or in your own garden, observing the birds, insects, and plants is a calming activity.

Exercising and walking outdoors is very distressing for your body, also lying on a high grass field when the sun is shining will ground you and give back energy and peace.

It is important to set boundaries planning your day and sticking to your own rules helping your family respecting your needs. You will certainly feel better after some time, and more joyful! A happy woman is gorgeous and will attract people with her smile.

Please let me know what you think. Do you have difficulties making some time for yourself? Or is it easy for you to set boundaries and to plan some “You- Time”? Please comment and let me know!

To Your Health,

Sylvia