The dilemma of being a priority or an option?

Pick one -

Are you a priority to yourself?

Are you an option?

It is not impressive if the second statement is an eye-opener for you. Because that's precisely what happened to me. After a long day of work, I was struggling to maintain a personal life. After a lot of rotten food, an unclean house, and pending personal work, I realized that I needed to end this. (Actually, it was the smell, they really open your eyes.)

I was losing myself.

I was making excuses for my limitations. My standard response for all my negligence had become, "Oh, it's my work!"

I started asking myself.

How much time am I giving to myself?

The answer really surprised me how much my reply had become "Oh, it's my office work!"

In adult life, things become repetitive. Our schedule becomes repetitive. And we forget ourselves in the cycle. It's quite common. A simple statement pulled me out of it.

So, of course, after this astonishing episode, I turned to my most trusted figure for opinions - Google. I looked at a sea of options available on the internet and tried quite a few of them that made sense to me.

So, here are a few tried and tested choices that worked for me.

How to make yourself a priority?

1. Speak kindly to yourself

Our inner voice is very important to us. Its critic is trying to protect us from potential harm. But, we sometimes, forget the difference between criticism and shielding. How we talk to yourselves shapes our actions and future thoughts. Know that we are enough in our present capabilities. Appreciate your talents and small achievements.

2. Say no to others to claim time for yourself.

We do not need to be guilty to collect our thoughts. After all the hours that we devote to others like in the office, for our kids, and for our family, we need time for ourselves to rest, compose our musings and unwind at the day's end.

There are many works that we have planned for ourselves. We need time to finish them or we lose our dreams in others' time leaving behind a trail of regrets. It's alright to say no to others now or then (all within reasons).

3. Let go of things that are not in your control

We cannot control the past, or predict the future. No matter how much we pray, we cannot change the past. Similarly, with all the preparation, we cannot prepare for the future. Sometimes, we just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and let life happen. You will feel a lot lighter.

4. Embrace your emotions

If you sweep them under the rugs, it will peek from there. Accept them, acknowledge them and work on them. Take life day by day. When you cannot accept it, make the best of it. Initially, it may be hard to accept that our emotions matter but they do. We worry about what others might think of us or that it is selfish of us to accept our sentiments.

At the end of the day, we are social beings but feed on emotions. So, value yourself and honor your emotions.

5. Last but not the least listen to yourself -

Listen to your body and mind. Nourish it. Notice your thoughts.

Rejuvenate, re-energize and start again.

We need rest.

So does our laptop.

6. And the absolutely last advice is to make a schedule/ list and stick to it.

If it doesn't work. accept it and say, we will continue from here tomorrow.

I remembered something, my sir said a while ago. Stop after your office time is up. Don't take it home. If you still feel anxious, write it down. The things that are left will become your work for the next day.

I hope this helps you to find a way to the balanced life that you have always desired.