Prioritize You!

Most of us do a fairly good job of taking care of our families. Our spouses, kids, pets, extended family – we try to do what we can to make sure they’re ok and happy.

Ditto our jobs. We usually do our best to make sure things are going smoothly, deadlines are met and projects get finished and done well.

But in all that there may be a very important piece of the puzzle that we’re neglecting. Are you taking good care of yourself? Do you periodically check in to see how you’re doing? Do you even make it on to your priority list?

Often the answer to the above questions is “no”. I hear it frequently. “I don’t have time to do anything for myself. By the time I get home from work, spend a little time with my husband/wife, play with the kids and chauffeur them to events, I’m beat. All I want to do is veg out in front of the TV for a while before bedtime”.

This is really common but not helpful. If it sounds like you try some of the following to be sure that you become one of your priorities.

Put exercise on your To Do List. Yes, I know – exercise is a 4-letter word for lots of people. Here’s my response – do it anyway. You’ll feel, look and function better if you make the time to work out regularly.
Orchestrate a change of scenery. Get away for a day (or 2, or 3). A vacation – even a mini one – can reduce stress can recharge your mental and emotional batteries.
Go outside. I talk about this a lot but research shows that going outdoors and connecting with green (plants, trees, shrubs, etc.) makes us feel better. This is a quick fix – so start doing it!
Catch up on your ZZZZs. I’ll confess – one of the best parts of being an entrepreneur and my own boss is scheduling a short nap during the day. It doesn’t happen on a daily basis, but when it does I feel refreshed and relaxed – ready to tackle whatever comes up.
Do something fun. Way too often adults tend to feel that having fun is wasting time or just “kid stuff”. Nothing could be further from the truth! Fun makes us happy and when we’re happy we cope better.

You may have some ideas of your own to add – great! The main thing is to make sure that you don’t get lost in the shuffle and that your needs are met. Remember that you matter too – take care of yourself!