10 Minutes for ME!
We have all had times when we feel like we have bitten off more than we can chew. When we feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to finish our to-do list. When we have so much going on that we don’t know if we are coming or going.
How do you feel when it seems as though you are drowning in responsibilities? Are you tired? Do you feel irritable? Are you like me and want to eat EVERYTHING? Are you short with people? Are you sluggish and unmotivated? Do you sometimes get so overwhelmed that you don’t want to do anything?
How do you cope when you are in this mode? Do you take time to go outside and take a walk? Do you exercise? Do you eat healthy foods? Do you meditate?
I just laughed at myself writing that last paragraph because I used to never do any of those things. Yes, I know they are good for me, but all I would want to do is a handful of jelly beans while my ice cream softened enough so I could eat the entire pint! The thought of going outside for a walk was the last thing I had time to do when I couldn’t even complete half of my to-do list. Today, I want to share a trick that I use during those stressful times.
I call it “10 Minutes for ME!”
Let me tell you how it works because I use it a couple of different ways.
I’m a list maker and when my to-do list is longer than Santa Clause’s nice list and I don’t have much time left in my day or energy in my tank, I look at my list and pick one of the least important items. Some examples currently on the bottom of my list include: Organize my pictures on my phone. Close some of the 500 open web pages (yes 500, don’t judge) on my phone, after I look at them again and figure out why I left them open in the first place. Fix some broken jewelry. You get the picture. I pick non-pressing things that never seem to get completed and just linger on my list forever. Then, I set my timer for 10 minutes and I get to work on it. No, I don’t always finish the task, but when my timer goes off, I am at least 10 minutes closer to checking it off my to-do list. Sometimes, when I am close to finishing, I will put in a couple extra minutes to complete it. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to at least get a little closer to finishing or actually completing these usually annoying tasks.
WIN!
I also use my “10 Minutes for ME!” when I can’t seem to find the energy or time to exercise. I put on my workout clothes, go to my favorite food and exercise blogger, PaleOMG, search YouTube for a free workout or the Fiton app, and getter’ done! I have made an agreement with myself that no matter how much I want to stop, I won’t. Sometimes, I give 50%. Sometimes, I give 100%. But, I always keep moving. On those days when I can’t give it my all, at the end of my 10 minutes, I am usually happy that I got moving and did it. But, occasionally, I’m a bit disappointed in myself knowing I could have given more. That motivates me to push myself more the next day, or do another 10 minute workout!
WIN!
If you know me, you know it’s not unheard of for me to have 30 plus text messages or even 100 plus emails waiting for me. I can’t tell you how much anxiety that causes me. So, I will use my “10 Minutes for ME!” to clean those up. For my emails, I scan through my emails and delete the ones that I usually like to read for enjoyment. While I am doing this quick scan, I also open the ones that look most important and read them right away. Once I hammer out the important ones and delete the least important, I start opening and reading the remaining emails until my timer goes off. Similarly, for my text messages, I delete any spam and then start with the people I have pinned and work from there until my 10 minutes are up.
WIN!
Finding time for meditation is another thing I struggle with. Again, this is where my “10 Minutes for ME!” comes to my rescue. It feels so much easier to say to myself, I’m gonna run upstairs to my meditation area for 10 minutes (knowing full well it takes a bit longer than that because I need to pick my incense and find a meditation to do). When my 10 minutes are done, i then get to choose if I want to meditate longer. I’m sometimes up there for 20 minutes, which can easily turn into 25 or 30. But, if I set my 10 minute alarm, I’m on the clock and everything moves much faster!
WIN!
Ten minutes isn’t a long period of time. I bet you have spent more than 10 minutes today scrolling through social media and fretting about how you are going to get your projects done. Why not use those 10 minutes to get your body moving, mediatiate or check those nagging things off your to-do list? I use these techniques any time of the day. Sometimes in the morning when I don’t know where to begin. Sometimes in the middle of the day when I am frustrated and need a reset. Even at the end of the day, if I didn’t accomplish as much as I was planning on doing. lt helps to lessen my anxiety and stress and helps me feel accomplished and ready to take on the rest of that to-do list!
Do you have any other ideas for what you can do in your “10 Minutes for ME!” that could change your day? Let me know below, sharing on social media or dropping me a line!
