By: Christina Eagle, L.M.H.C.
Think Fast! Move Faster! Living in one of the fastest cities around the world such as London, Berlin, Singapore, or New York (like me!), we often forget to take a minute for ourselves. Too many times our minds are racing on what’s our next step, or like many parents…what are my next 10 steps?! From the time we wake up, to the second our eyes close, we are faced with questions, decisions, answers, and many times a mental “to-do list.” So, how do we slow down if we’re always telling ourselves, “There’s not enough time in the day?”
Every time we say those words to ourselves, we’re building on beliefs that are irrational. On average, if we have 8 hours to sleep (most of us don’t get the full eight anyway), an 8 hour work day plus 2 hours for travel time, 4 hours for socializing (including meals), what are we doing with the other 2 hours? What happens when “There’s not enough time in the day” turns into “There’s not enough time in the day to spare ten minutes on something for me.”
In fact, what you are saying is you can’t spare 10 minutes on yourself out of the 1,440 minutes available in one day. If we know that self-care is crucial to our overall health then what we’re actually saying is… “There’s not enough time in the day to spare ten minutes on something for me because “I’m not worth it, I can’t stand it, or it’s awful that I’m not able to have enough time to do the things I would like.” Of course, this is strictly in relation to the specific beliefs of self-worth, frustration intolerance, and/or awfulizing. It is not meant to diminish other challenges one may face on a daily basis. But, if we repeatedly do something/neglect to do something we know is required in order to sustain quality emotional and mental health, then we need more encouragement to uplift ourselves on a daily basis.
Instead of saying, “There’s not enough time in a day,” begin to notice how many times we “find” time for other people or problems that seem urgent. In the past six months, how many times have you intentionally turned off your cell phone?
If you’re able to “carve out” ten minutes just for you each and every day, what would that look like? Ten minutes of reading, listening to an audible, extra time in the shower, listening to your favorite podcast, morning/evening yoga, meditation, lighting a candle to set the relaxation mood, etc. Ten minutes a day because you are worth it! Ten minutes a day because…it might help you strengthen your emotional and mental ability to tackle the next day’s agenda.
Is your mental health worth ten minutes a day?
