Mom it Forward » “Me” Time

Me Time: 4 Ways to Make Time for Yourself

Alaina Forbes — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:01 +0000

With Valentine’s Day soon approaching, many will be thinking of how to show those closest to them how much they care. For Moms, these types of thoughts tend to occupy our minds more frequently than once a year. The daily routine revolves around ensuring the family is well taken care of and happy. While most Moms wouldn’t have it any other way, what about setting time apart for investing in yourself?

On the list of daily priorities, most Moms put themselves on the bottom — the part that you usually run out of time for by the end of the day. Some may feel guilty about taking time away from the family, while others may think they just can’t fit it in to the schedule. “Me” time, however, is very important. The feeling of rejuvenation that comes from a little time by yourself can make you that much better at all the other roles you fulfill in life.

4 Ways to Make Time for Yourself

You schedule play dates and appointments for everyone in the family, why not schedule time for yourself? Something that is only for you and about you for once. Remember long ago before you were a Mom and you actually had hobbies and interests you cared about? Here are some tips on how to fit in time for yourself and your interests in to that already busy schedule.

Schedule it!

If you tell yourself you are going to take some time away from family this week but don’t actually pick a day and time, then it’s not going to happen. Plan a specific time and don’t give yourself any excuses for backing out of your “me” time commitment.

Commit to it!

Choose something that requires a commitment on your part. If you sign up for a class or activity and commit to it, you are a lot more likely to make sure you get there. Art or photography classes, book clubs, and fitness classes are all great options.

Love it!

Pick something that you are passionate about, maybe something that used to be a hobby or passion of yours before you became a Mom. Doing something you love will make you look forward to it every week and you will be more likely to stick with it.

Believe in it!

If it has been a long time since you had some “me” time, you may feel a little guilty or odd at first. Don’t let this stop you. Make up your mind that you are not just going to do this, you are going to enjoy it too. Knowing that time away will make you a better person and a better Mom will help you stay determined.

What are your favorite ways to get “me” time as a mom?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Alaina shares her fifteen years of work from home experience at her blog Telecommuting Mommies. She also opens up her personal life as a homeschooling, blogging, work at home Mom of four at The Maestro Mom. Follow her on Twitter at TelecommuterMom.

Me Time: 8 Ways to Get Social With Other Women

JoyceHarrell — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:00:34 +0000

Allowing yourself to develop time for a social life is an area you may or may not place a priority. In the realm of coaching, this area finds a slot in the work/play dimension of the Wellness Inventory Wheel. For sure, you embrace the work aspect and make this a priority.

Work includes your household chores, any home business work you may have, taking care of children, and some of you work outside the home in addition to everything else you do. That list just mentioned is not even a complete list. You may have other responsibilities for your church or other civic groups.

Think about including in your schedule time for social activities where you are interacting with other women. You may not understand the importance of this but you derive strength from your fellow sisters. I remember years ago I watched a video by Dr. James Dobson from a series he had taped on the home. One of the subjects discussed was how we needed to build relationships with other women.

Dr. Dobson talked about old-fashioned quilting bees and how women came out into the community and drew strength from the relationships formed with other women. They would sit around the quilt as they worked on the project and would discuss raising children, how to strengthen marriages, tips for better household management, and whatever the need was at the time. Women talked through their post partum depression and other issues they needed help with.

That information has always stayed with me in a positive way. Years ago people were not so transient, and the quilting bees were made up of the generations of family members and close friends. Today, you may not even know your next door neighbor. You may feel isolated and alone. It is so important to realize your social life is needed and to make it priority to schedule “me time” with friends.

8 Ways to Get Social With Other Women

So instead of the quilting bee, where do you go? Here are a few ideas:

Schedule a consistent girl’s night out with a few friends where you do a little shopping, or just sit at the restaurant and talk.
Find groups in your local area. If you are new to an area and haven’t made friends yet, there is a website called www.meetup.com and you can find groups that meet in your area. Find a group that meets’s your interests, and try them out.
Get involved in a twitter or Facebook party! These groups meet on a regular basis and are great fun! Not only do you learn about things you are interested in, but you also make great connections and friendships!
Check out groups from you church. They often have women’s groups that meet regularly.
Have a scrapbook party! Invite friends over for a night of scrapbooking and sharing. To me that’s the modern day quilting bee!
Lunch out with a friend during work!
Swap babysitting with a friend. Have her watch your kids one night while you go out with a friend or your husband, and then do the same for her!
Host some type of direct sales party, like pampered chef, lingerie, or Tupperware. Invite all your friends!

There are so many ways to get out there! Get out your calendar and schedule at least one event. Set a goal for how many outings you want to shoot for each month. I would love to hear what you schedule for yourself!

What are you doing to make social time for yourself? What can you do to make this a priority?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Joyce Harrell is a Mom, Wife, Nana, Nurse, Health & Wellness Coach, Low Glycemic Mind-Body Transformation Coach, Author, Certified Vision Board Coach, and Aromatherapist. Her unique talent is to empower self-acceptance and purposeful living utilizing wellness principles, low glycemic education, vision boards, and essential oils. Joyce emphasizes simple principles for individuals who desire to feel better about whom they are as they are empowered to bring positive changes to their emotional and physical selves. In addition to being a Registered Nurse, Joyce has also received training as a wellness coach through Wellcoaches, and The Wellness Inventory coaching programs. She has co-authored the soon to be released book Heart of Success.

In addition to her Health/Wellness coaching business, she has founded the organization Nurses On The Edge, for nurses who are stressed, eat on the run, or are on the edge of burnout in their nursing careers. Her wellness programs can be utilized by individuals, groups, or the workplace. You may contact Joyce at joyce@nursecoachonline.com, or get on her mailing list at http://www.nursecoachonline.com. Receive your free copy of CPR for the Kitchen Pantry when you opt in for her newsletter.

Goal Setting That Helps You Focus on Your Passions

tammykling — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:51 +0000

We are just weeks away from the new year and entering 2012. Now is the time for goal setting to transform your life. Notice how I didn’t just say change your life? I said transform. Change implies that something is broken and needs fixing, but transformation? That’s a beautiful word. Transformation. It’s what happens to the butterfly. It’s what you get when you make a commitment to become more beautiful.

We can only give our families what we already have. If you’re angry, uptight, stressed, or rushed, maybe it’s a sign that you need to set a goal to take time out for yourself next year.

It’s not selfish to think about yourself and take time to make your life better. It might feel like it, but making me time makes you a stronger, more well rounded mom when you can be inspired, learn new things, and gain self confidence.

Maybe you want to do more with the kids, or do less activities overall. Maybe you want to eliminate a bad habit, stop overindulging in sugary foods, or find more joy. Perhaps you’ve vowed you’ll start a business, learn a language, or try mountain biking. Whatever that new thing is, committing to the process will transform your mind and body.

What is it you want to transform into this coming year?

Make Yourself a Priority

Here are four ways to make sure you are taking care of yourself:

Identify your passion. Passion ignites immediate joy! It’s the one thing you could talk about for hours. Make a list of 3 things you are passionate about and keep that list on your bathroom mirror.
Set a goal. Identify something you’d like to do that involves your passion (e.g., start a hobby, business, or activity).
Keep it simple. Limit your goals to no more than 5. You can always add later.
Just do it! Whatever goals you set for 2012, commit to staying focused on them. It’s amazing what baby steps can lead to!

When I wrote my first book, I never set out to be a writer. I just started writing, and now 32 books later people call me an author. When I coach people through the process of writing, they almost always ask me, how? But writers write. Just like readers read. The key to doing anything is to just do it! And when you do, the world around you will flourish and grow. You’ll become more fun to be around when you have an outlet for your creativity.

Photo taken from Flickr

Tammy Kling is a life coach, advocate for the homeless, and international author of books including The Compass. Tammy is also the founder of Write it Out, an organization that helps the homeless transform by journaling goals, hopes & dreams via writers workshops, free journals and books. Tammy loves being a mom to two awesome boys, and is also an avid trail and mountain runner, and corporate writer.

Self Care: 6 Tips to Develop Your Spirituality

JoyceHarrell — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:00:45 +0000

The past few weeks we have brought awareness to the need of time management related to your self care and more specifically the care of your physical self. Time management for “me time” really includes so much more than our physical bodies. Utilizing small steps toward the time management of your spiritual care will result in a holistic balance. Most holistic practitioners promote a balance in body, mind, and spirit.

6 Tips for Developing Spiritual Care

Here are six tips to help you set aside “me” time for your spiritual care even for the most time challenged moms:

Make early morning quiet time: Make the effort to get up before the rest of the household to give yourself quiet time is very beneficial. This time can be spent in prayer and or meditation.
Learn yoga principles: You can incorporate yoga into everyday life. While you are cooking supper you can do a nice stretch and concentrate on your breath. Yoga can help you find that place of quiet and stillness within yourself. The word Yoga means “merging with God” in Sanskrit. This can also be combined with your early morning quiet time. It is also easy to find DVD’s to learn at home or join a local group.
Apply Kaizen steps: Remember Kaizen steps are small steps that are so small they are laughable. These steps or goals that you create can start so small you don’t form a resistance to them. For instance, if I suggested that you start getting up one hour every day before the rest of the household, most of you would feel this “resistance” in your body to the very thought of it. So, think of getting up 5-15 minutes before the rest of your household to start, and spend this time in quiet utilizing the above mentioned prayer, meditation, yoga, or quiet time. You can gradually increase as you incorporate this pattern into your life.
Practice faith activities: For those of you who have a house of worship, (whatever your faith is), look at this time as a time of reflection and spiritual growth. Take notes from the message that particularly speak to you, and use your notes as something to reflect on during the week. You can also find devotional books or books with inspirational quotes and take 5 minutes each day to reflect on your “inspiration for the day”.
Listen to motivational/inspirational CDs: Purchase a few CD’s with motivational, reflective, spiritual, or devotional teachings and carry those in your car. When you are out running errands or on your way to and from work, this is an excellent opportunity for you to feed your spiritual life/personal growth while not having to set aside a separate time for this. If you are especially busy, I find this is a great way to add that piece to your life.
Write in a journal: Purchase a nice journal and at the end of the day, write down your thoughts from the day and reflect on the times you were able to enrich your spirit that day.

If you are not used to taking quiet time for yourself, this can feel like an indulgence at first. It’s not a luxury. It is a necessity. Take time to develop your spiritual self and you will be amazed how this will have a positive impact on other areas of your life. Remember, we are holistic beings.

How do you develop your spiritual self? What is your favorite way to increase your spirituality?

Me Time: How To Develop Time for Better Self Care

JoyceHarrell — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:27 +0000

Developing time for your self care in relation to your physical body does take a little planning. I am addressing the need of incorporating better nutrition into your routine. How do you plan meals? I want to ask you first if this is an area you want to improve on.

One thing I really learned as a wellness coach is you need to be motivated for the change. This series on “me time” is going to address your self care. By this, I mean your physical care, your spiritual care, emotional care, and social care. You may be more motivated to work on your spiritual care right now. If that is the case, the spiritual care is where you will benefit most from your focus. What I am going to suggest is that you print off this series and start with the area you are most motivated to change. When those areas have improved, then move on to the next area you are ready to change.

Let’s start with how you make time for nutritional self care. Begin by looking at how you currently eat. Do you eat on the run? Do you plan meals out for the week? Does your family have a busy schedule? Years ago I did a lot of once a month cooking and froze meals for a month at a time. This did save a lot of time for me. That’s one idea. There are many once a month cookbooks on the market. What I find wrong with this approach though, is that all your foods are frozen (except for adding a salad or other fresh veggies) and you either are microwaving everything or you need to thaw out the food and bake it. This method lacked the fresh food I have come to love.

I have found a better way (at least for myself) that is more nutritional. Instead of having one big shopping day and one whole day set aside for cooking, it is broken down into small weekly time spots. I was doing this before Kathy Kaehler made it popular. She calls this the Sunday Setup. The bottom line is weekly, you purchase items like fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, brown rice, quinoa, poultry, other meats if preferred, cheese, and your other staples. You set aside about 2 hours for prep. Also you will need containers with lids. I prefer glass storage containers. Then cook your meat, boil your eggs, prepare the rice, and cut up all your veggies. Place all food into separate containers and put into your fridge. The nice glass containers look so nice all lined up and stacked with pretty colors of veggies, fruits, rice, meats, and eggs.

It is so easy to have quick tacos as your meat is already cooked, the cheese is grated, and you add some veggies, and you have a meal in about 10 minutes. It takes about 2 minutes to pull together a salad with veggies and cooked chicken. Don’t forget healthy smoothies: almond milk, bananas, frozen strawberries, and a handful of green spinach. Voila! Quick, tasty nutrition! (and you don’t taste the greens)

Planning is the key to success in self care and your physical body. Set your intention today and start taking the small steps to permanent change!

How do you make sure to get some “me time” and take care of yourself? What do you do on a daily basis to practice self care?

In addition to her Health/Wellness coaching business, she has founded the organization Nurses On The Edge, for nurses who are stressed, eat on the run, or are on the edge of burnout in their nursing careers. Her wellness programs can be utilized by individuals, groups, or the workplace. You may contact Joyce at joyce@lowglycemicnurse.com, or get on her mailing list at http://www.lowglycemicnurse.com. Receive your free copy of CPR for the Kitchen Pantry when you opt in for her newsletter.

Me Time: How To Develop Positive Self-Care Habits

JoyceHarrell — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:00:10 +0000

Me Time—Time for the whole me? The better question to ask yourself is: how do I NOT have time for the whole me? Wellness is a time investment. I know what you are thinking! “But I have four children, a husband, a job, a business, social obligations, and a house to clean. There is just no TIME left over for me”.

I am sure you have heard the airplane analogy many times, but during this past year I have heard it over and over again. Every time I fly, I hear the flight attendant instruct us that if the cabin loses air pressure, the oxygen masks will appear and use them on you before trying to help the child or other person who may need assistance. Why do you think this is? It’s because if YOU run out of oxygen, you will be of NO use to the person you are trying to help.

One of the very favorite concepts I learned in a psychology class was the Gestalt theory, and that is “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Something about that concept always intrigued me, so I have always been drawn to the idea of wholeness or balance. Again, you are thinking about the “time” issue. You don’t have time set aside to nourish the wholeness that is crying out for attention. Let’s break it down to manageable parts.

Positive Self-Care Habits

There are several dimensions of wellness, and wellness is more than diet, weight, and exercise. Whole person wellness includes 12 areas: self responsibility and love, breathing, sensing, eating, moving, feeling, thinking, playing and working, communicating, intimacy, finding meaning and spirituality. These dimensions of wellness are based from the work of Dr. John Travis. Rare is it when someone is balanced in all areas.

The series over the next 5 weeks will address how you can incorporate change, balance and wellness, and allow yourself permission to take the time for yourself. Kaizen steps are a concept that breaks down a goal into very small parts. You cannot possibly take on all areas of wellness and try to change everything all at once. As you decide what area of your life is most pressing for change, then work on one or two areas and focus on only one or two small goals within the areas you have chosen.

Using Kaizen principles, time management of self-care is not only possible, but can be almost effortless. I will share with you tips to utilize the nooks and crannies of your life to develop positive self-care habits like conscious breathing, movement, healthy eating on the run, more play, and quality quiet time. You will learn to say “yes” to you, because you will discover: there is no time, like NOW time.

How do you find time for yourself throughout the day or week? In what ways have you established positive self-care habits?

In addition to her Health/Wellness coaching business, she has founded the organization Nurses On The Edge, for nurses who are stressed, eat on the run, or are on the edge of burnout in their nursing careers. Her wellness programs can be utilized by individuals, groups, or the workplace. You may contact Joyce at joyce@lowglycemicnurse.com, or get on her mailing list at http://www.lowglycemicnurse.com. Receive your free copy of CPR for the Kitchen Pantry when you opt in for her newsletter.

Entertainment: 5 Tips to Creating the Perfect Playdate

Jyl Johnson Pattee — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:00:41 +0000

Let’s face it! For moms with kids at home, our entertainment is often limited to our kids—the places we take them, the fun we have with them, and the things they do that make us laugh.

When my boys were in pre-school, we’d get cabin fever in the winter. The perfect playdate was a trip to the closest fast-food restaurant with an indoor playland. This helped us get out of the house, in from the cold, and gave my kids a way to get out their energy while getting a little exercise. We’d often meet friends there, which would help me get my social on. It was a win-win for everyone!

Now that my kids are well above the height limits on the playlands, we’ve had to get more creative about our playdates.

5 Tips to Creating the Perfect Playdate

Here’s some tips to creating the perfect playdates that both you and your kids will enjoy:

Choose a place that you all like to visit. For us, that includes Thanksgiving Point, our local flower gardens; Gardner Historic Village, an eclectic shopping area with antique shops and fun family activities; Discovery Gateway, an interactive children’s museum fun for kids and adults; and Lifetime Fitness, our gym, which boasts an indoor and outdoor pool with slides, a rock wall, and lots of other fun activities for the whole family.
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Find a location that allows you to take some “me time.” While your kids are playing, take time to read, write in your journal, do a crossword puzzle, write thank-you cards, or ponder. You don’t have to be alone to get in some me time. Just make sure to keep an eye on your kids while you’re doing it!
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Bring along a friend! Playdates offer the perfect opportunity to get together with your friends and their kids. Agree on a place all of you would like to visit, meet there, and enjoy an afternoon together.
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Mix up your playdate locations and types to add variety. Diversity is the key to keeping playdates fun and fresh. One suggestion is to create a list that you and your kids contribute to of places you all want to visit. Some ideas include: Going to story time at your local library, checking out the animals at the zoo or aquarium, going on a scavenger hunt at a local park, going on a nature/photo walk, visiting a local museum, going to a sporting event, playing at an indoor or outdoor playground, singing at an assisted living facility or nursing home (or volunteering in the community in some other way), etc.
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Stay home. I know! It’s not unique, clever, or creative. But, kids often do not need more than simple things—like a suitcase, for example—to create an afternoon full of play. Staying home allows you to accomplish your tasks while your kids play. And, if you’re in the mood, invite over a friend for your kids to play with.

How do you create the perfect playdate? Where are your favorite places to go? What are your favorite things to do?

Priorities: Do You Have to Be Alone to Have “Me Time?”

Jyl Johnson Pattee — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:00:12 +0000

I never knew what not having “me time” meant until I quit my job and became a stay-at-home mom.

In the corporate world, I went to lunch with friends or clients every day. If I had any extra time, I’d grab a co-worker and we’d go for a pedicure. I would read books and write in my journal en route to business trips. That was back in the day when airplanes didn’t have internet and I couldn’t get distracted by anything other than the in-flight movie.

Then I quit my job and suddenly, I understood what all my friends and siblings with kids had been talking about. The struggle to find and make time for myself was challenging. But, I became keenly aware of what a difference it made to put yourself on your priority list.

Somehow, changing environments from the office to home completely shifted my definition of “me time.” Then one day it hit me that perhaps I had the definition wrong. I was thinking about “me time” as time when I wasn’t with anyone else.

With a more accurate definition, I find that I am able to get all sorts of “me time.” Just last weekend, I took my kids swimming. I sat in a chair next to the pool while they swam, went down the slide, sat in the hot tub, and even tried out the sauna. I was close enough to be there in case anything happened (they’re 8 and 10 and know how to swim), but alone enough to write in my journal. About halfway through the activity, a friend met me there and we hung out while our kids played together for an hour, getting me even more “me time.”

Now don’t get me wrong. I think it’s important to have alone time and some people need it more than others. But, I also think it’s important to make time for yourself doing things you love. If they happen to be with other people or around other people, then that’s awesome! Engage in the activity and give yourself a pat on the back. Whatever you do, just make time for yourself!

Where do you fall on your priority list? Making time for yourself is important. What can you do this week to take time for yourself? What are ideal ways you’d spend “me time?”

Time Management: 5 Tips to Spending Time on What Matters Most

Jyl Johnson Pattee — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:00:11 +0000

What matters the very most to you in your life?

I was listening to a bi-annual conference for my church today and one of the speakers shared that love is spelled t-i-m-e. He then asked us to ponder: “Where are you dedicating your time?” In other words, what (or who) do you love?

For me, it is relationships with family, including my husband @TroyPattee…

Relationships with my kids…

Relationships with my closest friends…

The challenge many of us face is figuring out how to spend our time on what matters most instead of those things that matter least, as necessary as some of them may be or seem.

When I think about time management and achieving that balance, the immediate thought that comes to my mind is: “I wish I had more hours in a day.” But, I was reminded today as I listened to this conference that it’s not about having more hours in a day or crossing off every item on your to-do list, but rather focusing on those things that matter most. Things like my family…

I decided to analyze my day and where I had dedicated my time. Here’s what I found (based on 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for today only):

3 hours listening to my church conference with my kids while archiving photos online and cleaning up my desktop
2 hours taking my kids swimming on a play date with one of my friends and her two kids
30 minutes picking up my house and “encouraging” my kids to help me (I’ll be honest that I probably spent 20 minutes on the “encouragement” part!)
1 hour eating (breakfast and lunch combined)

I’m feeling pretty good about my day and where I’ve focused my time. There’s me and mom time in there, including both wants and needs. I even felt like I crossed some items off my to-do list. But…

…Today is not like most other days in my life. And typically, in my average day, I need a constant reminder to stop working at the end of my work day; to spend more time with my kids, my friends, my family; to make time for myself; and to be more dedicated to church and community.

5 Tips to Focusing on What Matters Most to You

If you are anything like me and need reminders to help you to stay focused on what truly matters most in your life, here’s a few tips on how to get started (taken from Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People):

Identify those things that matter the very most to you. As part of this process, evaluate your mission, vision, and values.
Identify what’s urgent, important, and those things that are sucking your time, but not helping you to focus on what’s most important in your life.
Schedule your week first around what’s most important to you (those things that matter the very most) and then add in tasks for the lesser important things, but those that need to get done.
Say “no,” delegate, re-prioritize, get help, or push back any item that does not help you put first things first. (Tips for helping you learn to say “no.”)
Replace any feelings of guilt you may have over not getting to your entire task list with feelings of accomplishment for focusing on what truly matters most in your life.

What are your most important priorities? What distractions get in the way of you accomplishing them? How can you review/revise your schedule to first them in your life?

Time Management: 10 Stress Relieving Hobbies That Improve Productivity

Jyl Johnson Pattee — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:56 +0000

When you evaluate your “me time” and your hobbies—what you do in your time off—what tops your list? And, do those things relieve or increase your stress?

Choosing stress-relieving actvities—those that help calm you down, give you time to think, help you gain perspective, get your endorphins up, and get your creative juices flowing—can actually increase your productivity.

10 Stress-Relieving Hobbies That Can Increase Your Productivity

Check out these 10 ideas for relieving stress and focusing on what matters most:

1. Clean. Having an organized house and office in and of itself can be calming. But, doing the actual cleaning can be a healthy distraction as well as boost your endorphins.

2. Cook. Personally, I like the creativity and the stress-relieving process of cooking. I love to make up recipes, combining different ingredients for awesome results. And my favorite? I love to chop vegetables. I find something very stress relieving about it. Veggie trays are my favorite to make!

3. Exercise. Working out has several benefits. I love the natural high I get as well as spending an hour listening to upbeat music.

4. Play calming music. Whether you put on a CD or play a musical instrument, making time to play some softer songs has a calming effect on any environment.

5. Spend time by yourself or with loved ones. I don’t know anything more welcoming than being around people who love you precisely because of who you are.

6. Travel. Exploring foreign places, even within your own city or state, can be exciting, fun, and at the same time, stress relieving.

7. Write. Writing comes in so many forms: blogging, journaling, scrapbooking, creative writing, writing a book, emailing, texting, writing thank you cards by hand, and more. For me, journaling helps me get perspective and make more well thought out decisions.

8. Spend time in nature. My happy spot is a local flower garden called Thanksgiving Point. I can be having the toughest day in the world and have it all wash away after a couple of hours in that place.

9. Get some sun. If I’m too busy, don’t have a lot of time, but need to lose the stress and a boost in productivity, I will often go lay on the trampoline and soak up the sun. Even 15 minutes can make all the difference in my day!

10. Ponder. Focusing on areas other than those that bring stress into your life is a quick way to reduce stress. Activities that allow you to ponder can include prayer, mediation, yoga, and others. Make time for this every day and watch your productivity increase.

Aside from adding stress reducing hobbies, one of the most important things you can do to relieve stress in your life and to be more productive is to remove stress-increasing relationships and activities when possible.

What are your favorite hobbies and activities that help you reduce stress? How does making time for yourself help you to be more productive?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.