Are you taking time for yourself?

By Andrea Kartika Deierlein

Life seems to happen faster and faster. Managing our time and sanity can feel increasingly overwhelming. If you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath, and ask yourself these two questions: “What is the most important thing I need to take care of right now?” and “How can I be more kind to myself?”

My friend Peter likes to remind me that we are not brain surgeons or pilots – and that whatever is in front of us is, most likely, not life-threatening. It’s true, isn’t it? But because our to-do-lists are never-ending and 24 hours in a day don’t seem like enough time, everything can feel urgent and important.

Remember time is not something that we have. We have to make it, take it, manage it, prioritize it.

If you are struggling with staying focused and clear-headed, a major distraction and busyness-inducer could be your phone. If you’d like to find out how much time you spend on your phone, check out an app called Moment, which helps you become aware of how much time you spend on your device. You’ll be surprised and shocked at the results. Apparently, even I spend more time than the average Moment user on my iPhone. Ouch.

How we manage our time and who we spend it with is also part of self-care. Are you spending enough time with yourself? With your loved ones? Even if it is only for five minutes a day, I invite you to be still and connect with yourself, through your breath. If you need to give your mind something to do, repeat “I inhale calm” and “I exhale gratitude” with every inhale and exhale. This will help you focus and be present. At least, for this one breath.