Guest Writer, Samantha Gray shares with us 3 easy “you-time” activities that are simple enough to start at any time.
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Procrastination is not a term that often comes to our minds when we think about busy working parents. In fact, it’s probably one of the last things that comes to mind. But, as busy working parents, there are a lot of things that we procrastinate about.
When was the last time you did something just for you?
There are few things more important to a person’s overall mental health and happiness than a little personal time. Rest and relaxation are key to leading healthy and happy lives. But, who has time for that?
After packing lunches in the morning, getting ready for work, carpooling to school, getting to work, spending 8 hours at work, taking kids to soccer games and t-ball practices, helping with homework, cooking dinner, cleaning house, and so much more, it becomes pretty easy to procrastinate from time for yourself.
As parents, our own interest, hobbies, and passions are put on the back burner and overcome by our passion and interest in our kid’s hobbies and events. While this is part of being a parent, it is also important to think of yourself from time to time.
These three you-time activities and practices are just too simple and important to procrastinate.
Learn Something New
Education is one of the best practices for better personal growth and happiness. While at one time, education and classes felt like a chore, as adults taking a class or two on something that you’re really interested in and passionate about can be a blessing. As online education has become more and more popular in recent years, new avenues for learning are cropping up all over the web. Open courseware opportunities are a wonderful way for busy individuals to find learning opportunities for themselves. These classes are actual college courses taught by real professors, but are completely accessible for free online. Find something you would really like to learn more about—geology, sociology, writing, political science—and take the course at your own pace.
Write for Yourself
Writing is a wonderful way to get some alone time and work through things. As parents, we rarely sit down and contemplate ourselves. Our minds are consumed by our days, our children, and our work. Write in a journal or on a personal blog to express yourself and explore your personal thoughts. Just the practice of sitting down and considering your thoughts is a very important thing for procrastinating parents. You-time is about really exploring yourself. Sitting down and writing down whatever comes to your mind can be a really wonderful and healthy release. Sometimes all we need in our lives to really find peace is a little introspection and quiet.
Just Sit
This you-time activity is by far my favorite. There really is something to just sitting down (or lying down) and doing nothing. It can be hard to grasp the concept of procrastinating doing nothing. Typically, procrastination means doing nothing. But as busy moms and dads, we probably put off doing nothing most often. Take some time truly to yourself and just lay down. Sit there and relax—really relax. Sometimes doing nothing and releasing your mind is the best medicine. Find the me-time in nothing. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to just pause for a second and take in the world. It can be a beautiful release.
Samantha Gray freelances for various websites and publications, and her writing often focuses on providing information about obtaining an BachelorsDegreeOnline.com. She also enjoys writing poetry and short fiction. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to samanthagray024 {dot} gmail {dot} com or post a comment below!
