Tag me-time

Holidays

It is that time of year when everyone seems to be going on holiday. Cases get packed and left in the hallway ready to go. You finally manage to get that airport transport booked and the passports are checked for the thousandth time. Here is the thing though a holiday can take you anywhere. It can take you away for a weekend, a week or a month if you are lucky. You could go anywhere in the world. A few miles down the road to a spa hotel for instance. Or it could take you three flights and get you to the other side of the world. As I say it could take you anywhere but it would still be a holiday.

What is a holiday?

For me a holiday is that ultimate me time. The time that you dedicate to you and you only. It can be a time to relax, spend time in the warmth of the sunshine, read a book all day drinking an iced lemonade. Well this is if you are good at relaxing. However, me time to me is being active, not really a surprise. I like to go on long walks, swim in a lake, run around doing a garden or house project, see cultural things that I may not get to see being at home. As I say I like to be active on holiday. If I get chance I also like to do adrenalin filled excursions like sky diving too.

Sometimes we forget to take holidays

This is very true. I have done it twice in the personal training world. The first year I was in the industry I put it down to the fact I was just starting and getting used to it. I had changed careers in the March, started as a personal trainer in the May and then kept going till the December. We had gone to Sweden for Christmas and I caused great concern when I slept for around twelve hours straight. It was up to Rosie to explain why to her parents and that I was ok. You would have thought I had learnt my lesson after that but no. When I first moved to Scotland, I started the new job in the January and worked straight through till the December. The only days off I had last year were for my Wedding. Not good, not good at all. I was tired, I was irritable, I was grumpy, my body hurt as I kept pushing forwards and I knew I was exhausted.

This year

This year I made sure I took holidays and that is why I am writing a blog on holidays. I am off on one tomorrow morning (well if one particular airline does not strike). I am off to Sweden until Monday. We have forest walks and swimming planned, barbecues, a trip to the big sports warehouse and Rosie has a surprise planned for me too. I have been to Sweden so much over the last five years it is like a second home now. We stay with Rosie’s parents in the middle of the Swedish countryside which means it is quiet, full of forest trees, wildlife and my favourite, a starry sky. A tranquil place to recharge the batteries, have some fun and just have some me time.

Work, work, work

As I have said we sometimes forget to take holidays. We have a major report due in, in two months’ time that we need to spend every waking moment writing. We have to meet the sales targets, or our job is on the line. We have to make sure that we attend that weeklong course we are booked on so the company can proceed forwards. We have to manage teams, attend meetings, make sure there is enough tea in the cupboard and so on.

Home, home, home

Then there are our home lives. We need to make sure the family are fed. That we look after our elderly relatives. That the kids schoolwork is complete on time and that volcano project you spent every night working on is handed in. We need to make sure the grass is mowed so the neighbours don’t start talking and again so on.

Take it from me

In short, take a holiday. Give yourself two days off for just you. Trust me. You will feel better, refreshed, relaxed and happy.

Saturday’s blog

Rosie and I discussed what we would do here. We could write the blog in advance and put it up or we could give the blog a holiday. As we have never been good at the towing the line thing and we march to the beat of our own drum, we have decided to give the blog a holiday. It is only one day after all. We will of course be back to it next week.

-Helen

Do something you love!

Do exactly that. Do that one thing that will put a smile on your face, will give you that extra spring in your step and will make you feel happy. Take some time out for you and do something nice. Now, this doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. It could mean running a warm bubble bath, lighting some candles and taking a long soak with a glass of wine and a (waterproof) book. It could mean going away for a spa weekend or it could mean spending time friends and family. Last weekend I did just that. Something that I love.

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Weekend me time!

The weekend is supposed to be the time where we unwind from the week, catch up on the chores and generally get ready for the next week ahead. Unfortunately, at weekends we sometimes forget to give ourselves me time. The time we need to digest what has happened in the previous week and mentally prepare for what awaits us at our desks come the next workday morning. At weekends we spend the time tidying the house, washing the dishes, making food for the week, doing the laundry, making sure the work shirts are ironed and so on. As I have said we forget to take me time.

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Breaking away

It’s about a year now since we left London for Scotland. A lot has happened in that time, and on the whole it’s all very good. I’ve had a day in the garden today, which is one of my happy places. I have a small greenhouse and quite a few plants now. There’s not really a system, I’m just doing it for fun and experimenting.

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