FROM http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/five-hints-to-reclaim-time-for-yourself.html

By Shane Magee

Sometimes it seems like your life just isn’t your own anymore – work, family, and other obligations swallow it up to such an extent that we often look back and wonder where all the time went! No wonder, then, that many of us feel as if life is just passing us by, and we can do no more than helplessly watch. However, with these tips and a little willpower, you can create time to center yourself and face the world with renewed enthusiasm.

Use your commute time

The most obvious opportunity to create time for yourself is the commute to work. Of course, it’s hardly the ideal conditions for some quality time — you either have both hands clamped to the steering wheel, or are crammed shoulder to shoulder on a bus or train! There’s only one thing that can be said in situations like this — God bless the iPod: an inspiring audio book, meditative visualization or piece of music can be just the thing to leave you walking into work energised and refreshed. However, even if you don’t have anything to listen to, you can still turn the time to your advantage. Try a spot of ‘observing the world’ – letting your mind go absolutely still, and seeing everything and everybody around you as it really is, without your mind to filter it. A few minutes of looking at life this way each day can really bring your own inner being to the fore, and lead to a new and more empathetic understanding of the world around you.

Take some time between tasks

Often we rush into a new task still thinking about the task we have just completed, which affects our productivity as our mental processes are split between two things at the same time. Instead, why not take a conscious pause in between one task and the next? Use the time — it could be as short as a minute — to reaffirm to yourself what is truly important (this can be very easily lost running from one event to another). For a few seconds, feel that you are clearing all the mental chattering connected to what you were just doing, and creating an empty space of peace and silence at the core of your being. Then at the end of this quiet moment you can direct all your attention to the next task you are about to perform.

Mornings are golden

The best time to choose for yourself is early morning — the atmosphere is calmer and more peaceful, and there is almost zero possibility of a phone call or some other such distraction interrupting you. Having time for yourself as soon as you wake up also makes you more centred as you approach the day’s multifarious tasks — a little like putting money in the bank. Also, many hobbies, like jogging or meditation, are much easier and more enjoyable when done before the outside world really kicks into gear. If at all possible, try and have that time before breakfast — mealtimes have a funny way of eating (pardon the pun) into any time you had planned afterwards.

Read the rest of the article at http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/five-hints-to-reclaim-time-for-yourself.html

Shane Magee writes on motivation, creativity, sport and getting the very most out of life; more of his articles can be found on the Sri Chinmoy self-improvement blog on his own personal site. Every so often, he gives free workshops on meditation and effective living in his home town of Dublin, Ireland. When not doing that, he enjoys running and learning to play the flute.

http://www.lifeorganizers.com/Time-Management/The-Organized-Prioritization/Making-Time-For-Yourself.html

If you feel frustrated, tired, overwhelmed or just out of balance with yourself, maybe it’s because you don’t make time for yourself. Change your ways. Practice some self-care.
It often seems that our days are engulfed in a myriad of tasks. Today we have many responsibilities and many roles – spouse, parent, sibling, child, friend, and career worker.
Do you find you lose yourself in your relationships, in your nurturing roles, and in the busyness of life? Does it seem like your life has become a series of tasks to complete, rather than moments to enjoy? We often get so caught up in the DOING that we forget to BE.

Usually the first thing to go in this whirlwind of activity is time for ourselves. Lack of time for ourselves often leads to feeling frustrated, tired, overwhelmed and out of balance. Without this time for self, we lose sight of what’s important to us and of what we need to be our best.

If you are feeling like life is out of control, that you are undervalued, that you are too busy, or if you put the needs of others consistently before your own, then it is time to create some time and space for yourself. Taking time for yourself allows you to renew, heal, and create reserves of energy and peace. Honoring yourself enables you to discover your truth, access your creativity and experience a sense of peace, wholeness, purpose, and balance.

Taking time for yourself is really about Self-Care and is an extremely important component to creating the life you want. It is about honoring yourself and connecting with yourself. Taking care of yourself is one of the first steps on the journey of discovering your truth and accessing your creativity. When you take time for yourself it allows you to stop doing for awhile and to just BE. It is in the Being where your power lies. You automatically raise your standards and capabilities and create potential and possibility in your life. When you honour and nurture yourself you can hear your inner voice much more clearly – you can hear your own truth and this connection enables you to live authentically.

In order to make time for yourself consider the following. Write the answers down on a piece of paper or in your journal or notebook.

Coaching Questions

How could it be a gift to others to take time for yourself?
What would it take to make time for yourself a priority?
What activities bring you joy or nurture you?
What is keeping you from doing the things that energize and inspire you?
How can you bring more of these simple treats into your day?
Take Action

Commit to doing one activity from the list you created each day for the next week.

Each day take 5 minutes for yourself. Find a quiet place where you can sit and not be disturbed. Close your eyes and simply follow the path of your breath. Just focus on your breath. If other thoughts come in, just let them go. If you find this difficult at first, then focus on repeating the affirmation “I am happy and peaceful”. Quieting your mind and body and focusing on the breath will help to change your emotional state and provide your soul with a peaceful respite from the busyness of your day.

Time for yourself does not have to take half a day or come at someone else’s expense. In fact, taking the time to replenish and nurture yourself will give you more energy and you will be better able to support those you love. It is often the simple things that can make the biggest difference. For example, sitting in your favorite chair and sipping a cup of tea, going for a walk, or listening to your favorite music. I encourage you to carve out 15 minutes for yourself each day to do something that nurtures you and brings you joy. Try it as an experiment for one week and see what changes for you. Reclaim your Self! When you do, you will experience a sense of peace, renewal, and connection.

I offer a variety of e-courses and e-retreats that are designed to help you Reclaim your Self and experience the peace and sense of wholeness that comes from knowing your purpose and living authentically.

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Jan Hornford is a Life Coach & Retreat Leader whose passion is to help individuals re-connect with their own wisdom and power and to support them to create the life they want. Her retreats offer the opportunity to experience joyful self-care, connection, and possibility. For more information, please take a look at her website: http://www.futureperfect.ca Or, call her: 403-313-4064 For more information about the free 4 week e-course: “Living Authentically: Honoring Your Truth in Everyday Life” visit: http://www.futureperfect.ca/store/index.php?cPath=1