By Umair Hameed
Sometimes all you need is some alone time dedicated to your own self. It doesn’t even have to be making fancy appointments at the spa or hitting the gym. There are some brilliant at-home practices which will allow you to sneak some quality, alone time just for yourself.
Start your day with gratitude
The benefits of gratitude include elevated energy levels, increased feelings of self-esteem, heightened intelligence, and a fortified immune system. Here’s why you should take a mental health day soon. This includes something as simple as stretching in your bed and doing some yoga poses like the child pose or even a cow pose. You basically stretch and give thanks for the day you got and ask for strength to go through the uglies too.
Sneak in some me-centric shopping
Even if your budget is maxed out (whose isn’t?), scrolling through online stores can be soothing—shopping releases the brain chemical dopamine, which is associated with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, and it may even give you some great ideas for revamping outfits you already own. How about allocating extra time to do your errands, and then sneaking in some time to peruse your favorite online shop and look at things you enjoy?
That Special Workout Time
Keep your favorite sweatpants nearby. Sometimes all you need is a walk around the block or a little yoga session in the lounge. Let your family know this is your time and they will not be interrupting.
Hit the Bathroom
Yep, it is that one place that moms crave for but doesn’t always get. But let there be certain boundaries. You will be taking that bubble bath this week. Sometimes it also helps if you sneak a book in there while leaving the kids busy in an activity for 30 minutes or so.
Get Your Mind Around Grown-up Time Out
Sometimes your mind can be cluttered with so many thoughts and emotions. All you need is to get yourself some focus and attention. You need to set some rules. Even if it means you need just 5 minutes to read your newspaper and drink some coffee. Setting a time limit on me time establishes a concrete beginning and end that will keep children from becoming anxious, and also teaches them about healthy boundaries in a way that they understand and respect.
