Many
women consider leisure a low priority and often forget to take time
for themselves. With careers, families, volunteer work, errands,
cooking, cleaning, carpooling, helping with homework, religious
activities, yard work, bill paying and everything else we try to
cram in 24 hours, most women can't even imagine finding the time
to do something just for themselves.
Unfortunately,
with this attitude, we are cheating ourselves-and our loved ones.
Think
about it. Who would you rather spend your time with: a stressed-out,
frenzied, exhausted woman with smoke coming off her heels; or someone
who has taken time to regroup, relax and be rejuvenated?
Number
One
You will be happier if you add leisure to your daily schedule. You
need to start putting you and your needs first and get over the
guilt of being a little selfish.
On
the airplane, the flight attendant always instructs the adults to
put their oxygen masks on first, and then help the children. If
the adults don't take care of themselves first, then they will not
be in a position to help others. The same holds true in finding
time for yourself. You must have some leisure time to better equip
yourself for helping and being with others.
There
is no right or wrong way to spend your leisure time. To make the
most of your time, think about:
Many
options
"If I don't make time each day to do something I enjoy, such as
playing with the dog, going to lunch with a friend, or spending
time with my horses, then I'm not myself. I do these things to relax,
get away, get support from people, be more active, and just have
fun," says Lauren Howard, Orchid contributor.
Almost
anything can be a leisure activity-gardening or taking a walk or
listening to music. There are some activities you may only be able
to do once a month such as visiting a museum or taking a class,
and you may only be able to take a trip once a year. The key is
opening your mind to all the possibilities and trying different
kinds of leisure activities as often as you can. Make sure you do
at least one thing almost every day-just for you.
[By
Lauren Howard, Consultant, NC Office on Disability and Health]
