Hey guys!
It’s November…these next few weeks are a weird for me, I’m not ready to get ready for Christmas, but it’s almost getting too cold for fall fun.That means these next few weeks call for curling up and staying inside and enjoying indoor activities, whether it’s reading watching shows or doing something creative.
One thing I’ve gotten better with over the last year is finding hobbies/forms of self-care and sticking with them. At the end of 2020, I wanted to prioritze my hobbies in the upcoming year of 2021. Yes, I enjoyed reading and blogging and exercise, but I wanted to make sure I was taking the time to incorporate my hobbies in my daily life.
All through our lives, we spend a lot of time taking care of others, whether it’s feeding or taking care of our families, checking in on our dear friends, or putting in long hours at work, we do a lot for others, which is why we need to make time for ourselves.
Whether it’s waking up early before the day gets started to spend some quiet time with God, or making time for ourselves in the afternoon or taking a bath before bed. Giving ourselves some time will make us be better people to care for others.
When I realized I wanted to start building my hobbies in my daily routine, I first made a to do list of hobbies I wanted to do every day and was happy if I just got them done through the course of the day, no matter if it was in the morning or afternoon.
However, I quickly found that the day would get busy and get away from me and as a result, I wouldn’t have time to take care of myself or enjoy my hobbies. I wanted to make time but I couldn’t find the time…until I realized I needed to schedule time for my “me time” or hobbies in my day. After I did that, I found myself enjoying my hobbies and still getting everything accomplished in the day.
Here’s how I did it:
My daily “me time”/hobbies include: going to the gym, journaling and prayer time, meditation, reading my favorite blogs/checking my own blog, reading a bit and a word search.
I first just wanted to get them all done in a day, but then I realized if I did my “me time” in the morning then I would start my day on the right foot and I would be less stressed as the day went on.
My morning now looks like me waking up and journaling, praying/meditation, reading my blogs, getting ready for the day and then reading a few pages/chapter (depending on the time) of whatever book I’m reading and then do a word search for a few minutes. I started doing them a few months back and I have been on a streak about doing a little bit of a word search every day. It relaxes me and keeps my mind sharp.
I get all my me time done in the morning so then when I get home from work, I can get things done, enjoy family time and unwind and I know I got all my “me time” done in the morning. The time it takes me to do everything varies based on what I have to get done for the day. But it typically ranges from the momentI wake up until the moment I’m out the door about an hour (it’s longer if I have a longer workout. But one hour to an hour and a half makes a huge difference in my day.
That’s my way that I practice self care. No matter what your self care or hobbies look like to do, it’s so crucial you get some time in your day.
How do you practice self-care and incorporate it in your life?