What Time is It?

Does me time matter when it comes to your happiness?

Science says that quality me time is more important than quantity and can lead to better work-life balance, improved sense of self and wellbeing, and greater engagement at work. Think of it as a power off and reboot for your brain.

Signifying solo time can be difficult if you share your space, but quality me time doesn't have to mean doing something alone. Just doing what you want counts! Keeping this in mind might be helpful if you feel our old friend Guilt creeping in to the party. Try to remember that creating time for yourself can help keep burnout at bay, which ultimately impacts how you are as a partner, parent, friend, family member, or co-worker. If that means that your me time looks more like parallel play (each doing your own thing in the presence of others), then that totally is still a win for the self-enrichment books.

Communication is key. As someone who lived alone for 20 or so years before I got married, this has been a valuable lesson for me. Even if I feel like saying, "I need some space!" I try to instead share how a current activity I'm doing is meaningful to me and why I enjoy it - for example if I've been super into a book I'm reading (The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin) or finally conquering sock knitting (I'm getting there). If I can share with Greg how these experiences are enriching my life and satisfying my needs, then he is going to be more likely to notice as I settle into my "me time". He also swears that I have been known to give him a certain look if he doesn't notice straightaway. So I guess both verbal and nonverbal communication can be at play here. :)

How does everyone feel about their allotment of "me time" these days? Are you getting enough?