"ME" TIME....it's important!

From: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/

"It may sound obvious, but many of us forget to take time for ourselves. People have all sorts of expectations for themselves and the drive to meet those can make it hard to take time.

"We are entitled to breaks," says Beth Evans, manager of Mental Health Promotion at Alberta Health Services. "People need to respect that for themselves." And, she says, we should be able to do it guilt-free. "You are taking care of yourself by taking a break. It ensures you'll have the energy to return to whatever other roles you play, whether as a parent or a professional, or whatever your roles in life generally are."

Taking a little "me" time is an important part of managing life's stresses.

"Anyone can get stressed," Evans says. "Absolutely anybody, anytime."

While most of us may not enjoy feeling stressed, it's not always a bad thing. Stress is a biological reaction to what is going on around us and it is a part of how we function. "We need a bit of stress in order to work at peak performance," explains Evans. Some stress is good, but chronic stress is bad.

When you begin to feel overwhelmed or burnt out, one of the best things you can do is call a timeout, step back and take a moment for yourself.

When you take time for yourself, you are really making space for yourself in your life—giving your mind and body a break and time to re-energize. It's meant to be about you.

"Do things that you enjoy, that invigorate you," says Evans. Enjoy your favourite hobby, go for a hike, take a bath—use this time to take care of yourself in whatever way you choose. Taking time for yourself doesn't have to mean taking time alone (unless, of course, that’s what you need). "It is useful often when you are under stress to connect with other people," Evans says. "People need relationships in order to stay well, generally."

The benefits of taking a personal timeout aren't limited to adults. Children and teenagers experience stress, as well, and need to they be encouraged to care for themselves. "Children need downtime," Evans emphasizes. "There are a lot of pressures they experience we may not realize." If you notice your son or daughter showing signs of stress, encourage them to take an hour off to take some "me" time, as well."

By ABBY MILLER