OnTheBeach: What’s Your Excuse for Not Taking Care of Yourself?

At the end of August, I took a week off to rest and rejuvenate. The thing was, I had been needing that week for 2 months. But I was trying to get my book released. So when I got brain fry, I took 2 days off (plus a weekend) because I absolutely had to, but I couldn’t possibly take the full week off because I had a book to release.

The problem was, the editing process and the blog party process and the editing for ebook retailer and physical copy processes took WAAAAAY longer than I expected (I’m currently waiting for the proof copy of the physical book to approve it). So much so that I wistfully watched the summer go by out of my office window (I didn’t really, i can’t work when the sun’s shining, so I spend a lot of time finding excuses to ‘work’ in the garden) until in mid-august I realised that if I didn’t take a week off then, I probably wouldn’t get a week off until November…by which time Christmas would be ‘just round the corner’ so I probably wouldn’t take the time off at all.

Hmm.

I did this last year, with disastrous consequences. Instead of having a week off to chill and read and watch DVD’s and catch up with friends; I had a week off crying and stressing and staring at the wall. Fun as that was, I have no desire to repeat it. And although it did take me 6 weeks to realise I was doing the same thing again (I needed time off and wasn’t taking it), I did realise before the meltdown.

Go me!

This time, the consequences were merely that I missed all the good weather. Autumn made a guest appearance for the last week in August. (the weather having been glorious all summer…and then all September too. Hahaha. Thanks weather Gods.) It wasn’t too harsh a consequence in the end, but it was a little irritating!

Anyway, it got me thinking about the excuses we use to not give ourselves what we need. I’m too busy, I’ve got to finish this project, I’ve got no time, I need to achieve X goal before I reward myself, I have to have finished my whole to do list before I can take care of me. (If I did that last one, I wouldn’t take any care of myself for at least 50 years…and then only if I didn’t add to the to do list!)

So what are your excuses for not taking care of yourself? Where do you delay what you need to reach a specific goal, or hit a target? What has to be in place before you will ‘reward’ yourself with time off or a treat or a break? Do you have to finish your to-do list before your self-care takes place? Do you only deserve to meet your needs when you have accomplished something?

I’m genuinely curious. Do you ignore your body, mind, heart and soul’s needs until they scream at you? Do you only make time for self-care when you’re on the edge of a nervous breakdown? What are your excuses for ignoring your needs?

I’d love to know – leave me a comment and tell me what your excuses are.

But here’s the thing: it is false economy to ignore your needs. It is not about deserving, it is about meeting your needs. You take care of yourself, because if you don’t the consequences are grave. You take care of yourself because if you’re cared for, life’s easier. You take holiday because you need to relax, rejuvenate or recharge. If you don’t, you are less efficient, less effective, and can get less done.

It’s more efficient to take care of the machine that gets it all done…because when you break, you can’t upgrade to a newer model!

You deserve it because you’re awesome and you deserve great care (and because it works better…and you work better if you’re not exhausted). Take some time today to listen to what your body, mind, heart and soul need from you today…and take the action.

To give you an example; today, my body needs: Exercise (yoga and dance…and maybe a walk in the sun, too!)
My mind needs: To brain dump in my morning pages.
My heart needs: To laugh
My soul needs: Dance breaks.

What do your body, mind, heart and soul need today?

Love

Donna.x

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