A common problem that individuals find themselves struggling with is feeling too busy, too overwhelmed, being stretched too thin. It seems that once you check one item off the to-do list, five additional items seem to appear out of nowhere! Between the demands of home, work, school, family, friends, children, activities, it may appear that there is no time to meet your own needs (or actually figure out what your own needs are!) This can lead to feelings of exhaustion, anxiety and stress. While there are absolutely things that must be done, sometimes we may have a tendency to pile on obligations for ourselves. This can be due to unrealistic expectations (whether priorities are self-imposed, or from people depending on us), distracting ourselves from other issues or we may feel guilty if we are not busy. However, taking downtime for ourselves is critical for our well-being. It can help hold at bay the feeling of being burnt out, it allows accumulated stress to decrease and it can make us more content. Relaxing and taking a break has its virtues.

Here is a challenge for you. Take ten minutes today to do something just for you, something that you enjoy, something that makes you feel good. How did that feel?