How to put yourself on your priority list [Especially for those who are always busy!]

Have you ever found yourself saying that you need more hours in the day? C’mon admit it, we’ve all done it at least once in our lives!

Personally, I’m a serial ‘to do’ list’er, I like being busy and crossing things off my list but there comes a time where you are constantly taking on too much and you really need to stop and listen to yourself and your body and learn some balance.

We are a society who (largely) have an incredible work ethic and feel guilty when we are not working towards something. We never truly take a break and are constantly putting others needs before our own.

Why else would we stay late at work day after day, despite not getting paid for it? We are constantly trying to scramble up the career ladder, taking promotion after promotion (with the workload that comes with it), all for some extra money which we never have any time to spend.

For those who have decided to have families, when was the last time you took some time for YOU? Like seriously took some time for you, had an hour or two all to yourself to relax (and I’m not talking about when your sleeping!).

Sound Familiar?

Here are some of my best tips for putting yourself on your priority list, because we all know it won’t happen unless you make time for YOU!

// Say No
For some reason it’s become this big thing in society to always say yes to things, whether you want to do them or not. Whether it will put too much pressure on you or not. Next time you’re asked to do something that you don’t really want too, or don’t really have the time to do, don’t be afraid to say no. Just a simple, sorry I’ve got other priorities at the moment, will do.

// Prioritize
You know those to do lists with a list a mile long? I want you to take a look at it and work out what actually matters on the list? What will not matter if it doesn’t get done, right this second? Is it something that adds value to your life or really needs to be done? If not, take it off the list or move it down the list. While you’re there, remember to add yourself on the list.

// Identify Timewasters
We all have them, it starts out as going to reply to a Facebook message then next thing you know, oooh cute kitten video, oh wow so and so is going on holiday, that’s a cool quote, ooooh let’s enter that competition…. Next thing you know an hour has passed. Other time wasters could be things like the T.V or having huge rests in between your sets at the gym. Identify where you waste time during the day and eliminate or reduce it.

// Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! It may be as simple as asking your partner to help you hang out the washing, ask a friend or family member to look after the kids so you can have a date night (even if it’s a solo date night!). The next best option is to join a support group, for example at Bootcamp we have private Facebook groups where we can all share recipes, healthy tips, successes and when we are feeling downright sore from a workout!

// Commit to a daily ritual of ME time
Some of you may struggle with this one! Doing something for yourself, every.single.day?! Yep even if it’s just 10 minutes a day, commit to doing something for yourself every day. That extra time might be used to read a few pages of a book, take a walk around the block, take a longer shower, grab a cup of tea and just sit. It doesn’t matter what it is so long as it’s good for you and you get to have a few minutes to gather your thoughts.

// Discover a hobby
Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but never made time for? Why don’t you just do it! Sometimes you just need to squeeze something into your schedule, so long as it’s something that is going to bring you joy, you will find a way to fit it in (no doubt dropping something that really wasn’t serving you).

// Monthly treats
When I say treats I mean non-food treats here. Put a little bit of money aside each pay day for a monthly treat. It doesn’t need to be super expensive, it might simple be buying a nicer cut of meat at the supermarket, taking yourself out to the movies, getting a haircut or a new nail polish. Whatever floats your boat, this should be something you look forward to doing and is something which will benefit YOU not necessarily anyone else.

// Buy tickets in advance
It doesn’t matter what sort of tickets, find something that you really want to see or do, or somewhere you really want to travel to and book tickets in advance. Not only is this a great way to save money (that’s how I’ve had some amazing overseas trips at the fraction of what most people would spend) but it also gives you something to look forward too and something to work towards. It might be as big as an overseas trip or as small as going to a show, concert or sports game. Heck it could even be to have a tourist day out in your own city and go to the zoo or some other attraction.

// Leave work on time
I may get the side eyes from some people here, but it’s crazy the amount of time people spend at work outside of work hours sometimes. I understand doing some overtime every now and again but there is no need to be at the office all the time. Make it a priority to be productive during the working day rather than just busy.

// Make use of Travel time
If you use public transport use this as some ME time. Catch up on a good book if you are able to read while travelling (your eyes will appreciate the break from scrolling through Facebook). If you can’t read while travelling (*hands up*) consider downloading podcasts or audio books to listen too. If you can’t use public transport you can still use the time in the car wisely through audiobooks, singing at the top of your lunges, or using hands free to ring a friend. If you’re constantly busy this is also a good time to just sit and BE.

// Reminder to eat
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t understand how people can forget to eat. But it’s apparently a very common problem! If this is an issue you face then make sure you set a reminder on your phone or computer at set times throughout the day to eat a nutritious meal.

// Outsource
If you have the ability to outsource some of your jobs I highly recommend it. It may be as simple as paying someone to come in once a week for an hour or two and do some cleaning, delegating some chores to the children/other half or even using places like Fiverr to do some small jobs for you, it’s amazing how little you need to pay sometimes to do a job that would take you a while!

// Gratitude Journal
Whether you’re the type of person who likes to physically write down the things you are grateful for each day, of if you prefer to use an app, actually making a note of the things you are grateful for each day is a great way to see just how fortunate you are.