Experience every day as a gift and still complete all upcoming tasks – it would be nice. With the tips of the Hamburg psychologist Christine Geschke you will get closer to this goal. And manage to accommodate the necessary breaks to take a deep breath, even in a busy schedule.
Islands of relaxation
Build rest periods into everyday life – no matter how busy you are. A wellness appointment (e.g. yoga , swimming, sauna, cycling) every other day would be ideal, lasting about an hour (plus travel time). Don’t always just take bridging days off and extend the weekend: Take a three-week vacation once a year. During this time you gain so much distance from everyday life that you can automatically look at your life from the outside and, back at home, gradually improve it.
Slow down the rush Allow
five minutes of buffer time before each appointment. If you don’t need them, use them for yourself. Also, write realistic (!) to-do lists every day. Don’t forget to write the relaxation times in bold red.Good really is good enough
Tell yourself as often as possible that you don’t have to be perfect to achieve your goals. So: complete tasks within the calculated time and consciously enjoy the following break. For example, with a nap in between: body and mind have been proven to have regenerated after just ten minutes so that you can tackle the rest of the day refreshed and effectively.
The old trick: just say no
For fear of disadvantages and rejection, women in particular make many commitments. Learn to say no (a little more often) and to separate your needs from those of others. Experience has shown that self-confident and assertive behavior is more likely to be rewarded, while people who behave appropriately are more easily exploited. Don’t let this happen to you!
Check your perception
Every assessment of a situation involuntarily leads to a physical reaction. If we classify the dog on the sidewalk as dangerous, blood pressure rises and stress hormones are released. If we rate the same dog as lovable, happiness hormones flood the body, which then relaxes. Try to see your company, your colleagues or the supermarket in a different light. If it works, do something good for your physical and mental health.
Saving time for parents
Time management is a particular challenge for parents, because the younger the child, the more it sets the pace for the family . This is how you can still get your well-deserved relaxation:
- Arrange with your partner who will take care of you and when, and convey this to the children. Otherwise they like to claim both parents at the same time.
- Build a network of parents who take turns looking after the children (yes, it’s your turn too). Be sure to use the free time for your own needs. So plan in advance so that valuable hours are not wasted.
- Couples need time to keep the relationship alive and to prevent empty nest syndrome (the inner emptiness when the children grow up and move out). So: reserve time for each other without the children. A full weekend is best.
- Book your annual vacation in a hotel with child care (e.g. robinson.com or vamos-reisen.de). Does your turbulent everyday life annoy you? Then you save yourself a holiday home or apartment, because the housework and any conflicts with your partner about it are guaranteed to follow you there.
