“GIVE FEW MINUTES OR AN HOUR TO INVEST IN YOURSELF.”

Ever wondered why it is necessary to give time to yourself or what we call as “me time”. May be many of us do realize its importance and try to find time for ourselves.

With the busy schedule and deadlines to meet, there is also a constant need for some personal time, wherein we work on knowing about our own abilities, emotions, thoughts, interests, and sometimes not even doing anything or indulging in activities that makes us feel good.

Every relationship is special and unique, but it becomes extra special when we realize the value of me time and importance of personal space for everyone. It is not always necessary to be surrounded by people, finding time for ourselves and a certain amount of privacy is important for our growth and development. Every individual requires some amount of time for oneself, irrespective of age and gender.

Caring about yourself is not an act of selfishness, but an act of self-care i.e, focusing attention on maintaining inner peace, gaining satisfaction ,working on ourselves, which in turn will contribute to our physical and mental well being. A break from our everyday chores helps us in performing more efficiently. Every individual has their own set of activities or ideas of spending time alone, but do find time for yourself as it matters the most.

• Me time allows us to be our true selves , to create happiness for yourself or exploring your inner me i.e to perform some hobby or develop new interests. It makes us aware about our abilities which in-turn boosts our self esteem. (confidence in our own worth).

• Me time serves as an advantage to become self reliant. An individual learns to love and accept oneself by recognizing their strengths as well as weaknesses.

• It’s absolutely OK to not do anything in your me time i.e just relax, as this helps recharge our mind. As a result, our ability to concentrate improves and we perform activities with lot more concentration.

• Indulging in physical exercise or meditation during this time, helps in experiencing positive feelings, also an increase in the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in brain that regulates our mood, appetite and sleep. Also Drawing attention on a particular thing makes our mind more focused, we begin to enjoy and experience the moment, which increases our ability to be mindful.

• It’s also the time to view, accept and express our emotions, as addressing of emotions is an essential part of self care. Focusing on our emotions, observing daunting thoughts and finding ways to deal with it or for the better help and understanding, consulting a mental health professional.

• Personal time helps in creation of new ideas, enhances our creativity and intelligence.

• It also induces the feeling of expressing gratitude i.e appreciating things around us. Studies have shown the power of gratitude on our overall well-being.

Try to create a habit of me time, understand and share its value. Make your health your first priority and provide yourself with some space to understand your thoughts, liking and emotions. Everyday is different and full of opportunities. A sense of psychological and physical well-being is essential to strive for growth and success in life.

As there is a saying by Rainer Maria Rilke "The only journey is the one within."