Take Yourself on a Little Date
Take Yourself on a Little Date
A nudge (and some inspiration) to care for yourself when you are stressed and don't have time
Remember my challenge to you in May to reclaim your “me time”? Have you done it? Have you taken a break from the grind and found space to play? Or have you given yourself permission to rest?
I know, I know, it’s really hard!
In case you need another nudge, I’m sharing my Monday solo date for inspiration.
This week, my Monday was the kind of unexpected, chaotic start to the week that no one ever wants. The baby woke up in the night, I overslept my alarm, we were all running late, and then my calm work calendar exploded with 3 last-minute meetings that I was not camera-ready for. All of a sudden, it was time to pick the baby up from school, and I hadn’t even taken a shower yet. I really wanted to take a shower.
I could have showered and rushed to pick her up, but instead, I asked my husband to do pick-up so that I could shower without rushing and run a few errands. Even with the shower, this was still only a 30-minute ask – I’d be home when they got home from school.
When I was feeling fresh and clean, I went to UPS, Trader Joe’s, and the library. At UPS, I needed to return a package that was taking up an annoying amount of space in our entryway. You know those chores that are never convenient and not actually that urgent or important but by staring at the box all the time you’re constantly reminded of the fact that it is undone, which keeps it living rent-free in your brain? SO SATISFYING to check that off the list.
Then, I needed a few things for dinner and luckily, TJs is right next to UPS. I also happen to love grocery shopping alone and do not get to enjoy this errand nearly as much as I’d like to now that we have a small human. I got what I needed and also spent an extra 10 minutes and $25 meandering the aisles and picking up a few of my favorite snacks and some other goodies. Such fun!
Finally, I stopped at the library on the way home. Another egregiously delayed errand that had been languishing on my to-do list was to return some books. Naturally, I also wanted to check out some new ones. After getting my account reinstated (was suspended by the very overdue books…. oopsie!), I spent ~7 minutes perusing the shelves and left with five titles I’m excited to read.
I could have rushed around to shower and do school pick-up, heading into the evening harried and still annoyed by those two tasks stuck undone. Instead, I spent $25 and ~30 minutes to bolster my spirits! I chose a few things that I love (snacks, books, crossing things off the list) and prioritized them in a small but tangible way.
If I hadn’t had the flexibility for my husband to do pick-up, maybe I could have left 5 minutes early and just stopped by the library. Or gone to Trader Joe’s with the baby afterward! She certainly loves snacks as much as I do.
Making these small adjustments to the afternoon sent me into the rest of the week feeling substantially better than I would have otherwise. To me, these tiny treats were a date for myself, a way to put myself first in a week where I wasn’t sure I could.
So, tell me, what little date are you going to take yourself on this week?
Hi! I’m Liz. Thanks for being here and reading my journals on the journey. If you’re new, learn a bit more about me and this space here and consider subscribing to my weeklyish posts.
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