Time to Think

This is for all of us who have been forced out of jobs or simply find ourselves with more time on our hands.

We all have 24 hours in every day – that’s 1440 minutes – and although we could allow 8 of those hours to sleep, there’s still 960 minutes to play with. 960!

(If you need to deduct 8 hours of work time, that brings us down to 480 minutes per day – every day)

One thing about time is that once it’s gone, it’s gone. When you reflect on your past and life experiences, it’s incredible where the time really went.

So, what are you doing with your 960 minutes per day? Obviously there are chores to be done, but they can take up surprisingly little time, especially if you delegate here and there!

Don’t feel bad about treating yourself to some me time – why not? How often have you said ‘Oh if only I had time to meditate, begin a yoga practice or perhaps start your own business’?

Being thrown out of your routine can be challenging, but there’s no reason why you can’t create your own.

If you decide you’re going to de-clutter or spring clean your home, or get the garden ready for planting, don’t try to fit it all in one day.

When you only have evenings and weekends to do these chores, they tend to be just that, chores. But at this particular time in history, you can spread your wings and your workload and enjoy the moments rather than stressing about getting it all done before Monday morning rolls around again.

So, grab a pen, a notepad and a cuppa and indulge in some thinking time!

Before you start jotting down ideas, remember to incorporate all major areas of your life; well-being and nutrition, children and family, home and garden and of course some quality ‘me’ time. Here are a few Well-Being and Nutrition ideas….

(Photo from Lucy Lou Yoga)

1. Start an online yoga practice. There are lots of them. Check out a few youtube videos before you start and choose a routine that suits you right now – not one that you aspire to that could take you months to achieve. That can be counter-productive as it’s easier to give up.

Choose a routine that will challenge you a little but doesn’t feel like a chore. After all, your well-being is top priority right now. If you’ve never done it before, always start with a beginner class. Get the kids involved. Many schools started yoga and meditation sessions and children adapt really well to yoga.
I’ve started learning how to breathe with yoga practices – it’s amazing just how much well-being is related to breathing properly.

2. Or an exercise routine to keep you moving. Same rules apply as choosing a yoga practice. Just because you are under forty, or whatever, doesn’t necessarily mean you can do 100 sit-ups and a high-impact aerobics workout. Be aware of your limitations, push them a little but always treat yourself nicely.

And if you don’t have much space at home, allow for that as well. Don’t start leaping about if you are close to table corners for example. Safety must come first.

What about dance? Learn how to jive with your partner if you’re both at home – again though, give yourselves lots of safe space.

3. Well-being should also include plenty of mental and spiritual time. Get into meditating! There’s an ancient Zen saying that rings very true: “If you don’t have 20 minutes a day to meditate, you should be meditating for an hour” – not word for word but you get the idea. 😊. Again, youtube to the rescue here. There are probably thousands of different guided meditations you can use to get you started.

Or if you prefer, sit quietly and comfortably in a peaceful place and allow thoughts to come and go as they will. But to keep on track I would suggest a mantra. There’s a reason that yogis chant ‘ohm’- choose your own mantra that suits you. Make it a peaceful one though. Don’t sit quietly and start chanting ‘I need some money, I need some money, over and over again. Totally counter-productive.

Choose from mantras online – Google ‘yoga mantras’ and see what comes up. If you don’t feel you have the space or inclination to do a full 20minute meditation, be aware of moments during the day. Meditation moments are just as helpful.

When you’re washing up, or washing your hands, be present in the now and enjoy the feel of warm water and clean hands or dishes. Just a few seconds or a minute or two of returning to the moment rather than reflecting on past woes or future worries will help you feel connected and at peace.

4. Your mental health may be taking a knock at the moment and the above well-being tactics will help you settle your worries. Also a little learning can go a long way. How about learning a language or taking an online course? There are courses in just about everything and many of them you can grab for free or for a small outlay. Check reviews and previews before you buy to make sure it will suit you.

And it doesn’t have to be ‘academic’ – maybe you’d like to learn how to knit or how to draw cartoons? Or play the guitar? Give yourself a little time here and think about all those moments you’ve said ‘I wish I had time to…..’ – well, now you do!

Obviously, learning to drive or taking flying lessons may not be possible right now but there are hundreds of hobbies and pastimes you could indulge in. And, as a side note, many small businesses have been started because someone’s hobby suddenly took off!

5. Nutrition counts. Educating yourself about food is eye-opening. Do a little experiment for yourself: Jot down everything you ate or drank in a day then take a look at the actual ingredients and, I’m tempted to say components, when it comes to some of the fast-foods we often have in the freezer. Are you really taking in enough nutrients to keep your body healthy?

Check out immune system boosting foods and put them on your shopping list. Avoid fast-foods as far as possible and research some easy recipes – there are thousands upon thousands online. Choose gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free or sugar-free recipes. Whatever suits you and your family.

Allow yourself some of those 960 minutes to brainstorm some ideas. Do it as a family or couple if you’re sharing your space with others. Either way, the goal is to stay sane, and hopefully grow through this unprecedented time.

Stay safe,

Linda x

P.S. Another book going on my wish list!