This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

'Me'-charge Your Weekend

How often do you use the weekend to actually relax and take time out for yourself?

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths. — Etty Hillesum

Take a deep breath. It’s Friday! The workweek is almost behind you. Just eight more hours to get through until you get two WHOLE days to yourself. Or do you…?

How often do you use the weekend to actually relax and take time out for yourself? Weekends often become the days we run errand and finish up on chores. Next thing you know it’s Sunday and you realize your weekend has come and gone. Where did the time go? You think to yourself, “Aw man, I really wanted to start that new book I bought,” or “What happened to that movie I meant to go see?”

Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I’m going to just throw this idea out there. What if you reclaim your weekend? Crazy, I know. All kidding aside, taking time for yourself on weekends is so important. That "me" time is like a reset button. It allows you to bring down your stress level and reenergize.

Think about when your computer freezes. The more buttons you push on the keyboard, the more overloaded your computer becomes. Now, if you shut that computer down and restart it, it will tend to run smoothly again (in most cases).

Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So, back to ‘Me’ time. It’s important to remember that taking time out for yourself is NOT selfish; it’s essential. Scheduling time for yourself is just as important as spending time with friends and family. It allows you take inventory and let go of stress and anxiety, physically and mentally.

'Me' time can be anything you want it to be. It doesn’t have to be two-week vacation. It can be as little as five minutes of your day. For example, it can be a 20-minute nap (my personal favorite) or a trip to the gym. It can be a Saturday movie marathon on the couch or five minutes of deep breathing. Whatever it is, it’s the time to let go of all distractions and just BE.

This Friday morning, I challenge you to make an appointment with yourself for the weekend. It’s harder than you think, but so worth it in the long run. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?