'Me Time': Maximizing your after-work hours
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Have you ever done an accounting of the hours in your day? Not counting when you're sleeping, how much time do you have for you?
KDKA's John Shumway takes a look at making your 'me time' work best.
Take away your hours sleeping, the time you spend getting you and everyone else in your family up and ready for the day, and of course your work or school hours, and what little is left is your 'me time.'
Regardless of your gender and your responsibilities, maximizing those precious few hours is crucial and it starts with getting yourself in the mindset of being in 'me time.'
"Get out of the clothes that you worked in and get into some comfortable clothes that basically says, Hey, I'm on me time right now," said Dr. Allison Bashe, Regional Clinical Director at New Directions Mental Health.
Dr. Bashe says letting your family know of the clothing change is important and that letting your family know you want to get into something comfortable first is key, and then you can be all theirs.
While you may be all theirs, you're still divided, because we all have daily chores we have to do, from sorting the mail, to dishes, to laundry.
"I recommend getting those done first and then you can feel free to enjoy the rest of your evening and spend it however you want," Dr. Bashe said.
Dr. Bashe says it's key to not letting the chores dominate your time.
"If you can get a few things done in 15-20 minutes, great. Then you have the time free. Try to set some limits on how much of those little tasks you're doing," Dr. Bashe said.
Dr. Bashe says if meal prep is more of a stressor than something you enjoy, she says to share the prep items with your family or do takeout.
She says it all starts with prioritizing what you want to do in those hours between work and bed so you factor in quality enjoyable time. She also says you need the 'me time' for your own mental health and happiness. The happier you are, the better those around you are as well.
From a mental health standpoint, the 'me-time' hours are crucial for life balance and for relationships.
Dr. Bashe says some movement is good when maximizing the hours before bed.
"Whether it's just a walk with with your pet if you have a dog, or if it's yoga or you know, some kind of stationary bicycle, whatever you might do in your home," Dr. Bashe said.
Dr. Bashe says to be careful not to overprogram your non-working hours or they can become stressful with no comfort at all.
