I heard a great practical tip today on how to achieve more time for yourself. It was basically getting up 10-15 minutes earlier than the rest of your household, to set yourself up for the day when all is quiet. I actually used to do this a few years ago when life was a little different and it definitely worked, so if it's something you can make work for you - go for it and reap the benefits.
However, now I have two kids and a partner who's alarm starts sounding at 5:30am, it's not going to work for me. I expect many other women and mums would feel the same. Perhaps your kids are up at the crack of dawn (and the thought of rising so ridiculously early would only cause more issues - we don't get enough sleep as it is!).
The practical tips, many of which I also recommend, can be super helpful to implement into your daily life for a short term fix and to get you the time you're craving,
Ask me about my 5 minute mood booster for mums, which includes a cute door hanger saying 'Shhhh Mums having 5 minutes' - you have to get creative to get that time!
However, what do you do when something is stopping you from allowing you time for yourself in the first place?
This seems to be so common for mums. They'll try to get time for themselves, maybe even schedule it in, but the time comes and it doesn't happen.
This is where the mindset shifts make such a difference and go way beyond just having a quick 10 minutes.
Ask yourself;
Do you feel guilty for having time for you?
Are there too many other, more important things to get done?
Do you get time for yourself then spend it doing things for other people?
Do you find it difficult to say no to others, which then impacts your time?
Are you worried what other people will say or think if you had time for yourself?
Do you believe you should be able to do it all without time to pause and reset?
Do you have the support available to have time for yourself?
If you answered yes to any of these (I expect some of you said yes to at least 2-3) then even if you wanted to implement some practical tips, it's doubtful they'll become part of your routine long term.
Firstly, you need to get clear on WHY you're not allowing time for yourself and the above questions will give you some insights.
That's the first step in shifting your mindset to give yourself more time - getting some clarity on the underlying reasons.
Once you overcome those reasons, you'll be scheduling in time for you, knowing you deserve it, with no guilt or concern what anyone else thinks. You'll be creating the time by setting healthy boundaries and asking for help when you need it, because you know you don't have to do it all.
How game changing would that be?
What huge impact would that have on your daily life (and stress levels)?
Imagine the positive ripple effect it'll also have on all those people you love and support - seeing you happier, calmer, more confident and believing in yourself.
The mindset shifts are simple and for me, win hands down!
If you want to start making some mindset shifts, I'm here to support you.
Contact me at hello@amandacolehypnotherapy.com
