How to find free time to spend on you

Today we welcome back Katrina Dare for her final instalment with us. She has been such a pleasure to have guesting on Champagne Cartel and we hope to have her back when her circumstances change. For now, enjoy Katrina’s expert guidance on how to find more free time in your day. Thanks for your contributions Katrina – we’ll miss you! xxx

 

I really should look after myself, and so should you. The benefits are endless, but the things that I should do for myself often fall off the to-do list. Nod your head, you do this too, don’t you?

Champagne Carolyn has told us about the top five things we should find time for. Great suggestions, but when will you do them?

Here are my top 5 ways to find the time:

1 Get up an hour before your children

I’m not kidding. It sounds like such a tiring suggestion, but the benefits can be huge. It’s amazing what that extra uninterrupted hour in the morning can do for you. Champagne Carolyn gets up early to run, I get up early to study, do my freelance writing and have a cup of tea, in peace.  Sometimes I’ll get up just to have a slower start to the day, I’ll paint my nails, have a cup of tea and clean out my handbag so I’m a little more organised.

140427 rise and shine

2. Leave something in the car (on purpose)

As crazy as this suggestion sounds, I find it quite useful. If I leave my lunch in the car (if it doesn’t need refrigeration) I am forced to leave my desk to get it. I take the stairs down five floors and walk five minutes to the car.

  •  Exercise – TICK!
  • A computer break  – TICK!
  • A breath of fresh air – TICK!

No one is going to miss you for five minutes. Give it a go.

3. The traffic light pelvic floor 

It’s not safe to use your mobile phone in the car, as tempting as it may be. Other than concentrating on the road you shouldn’t be doing anything else. But the red traffic lights and the rush hour traffic presents a great opportunity to do the pelvic floor exercises we all should be doing.

See how many you can get down before the lights go green.

4. Walking is your new mode of transportation

Sometimes it’s not about finding free time, but changing the way you do things to sneak something extra in. To get some exercise on the weekend and still spend time with the family we often walk to our destination.

On Sunday mornings I drive to the pool for a few laps. An hour later my husband drives with the kids to our favourite cafe, I walk there (1km from the pool) to join them. A couple of laps followed by breakfast out with the family, what else could a girl want?

140922 swim

5. Get thrown out of the car

Sounds a bit rough. On the weekend after going out for breakfast, or running the errands, grocery shopping and the like, I get my husband to drop me off 4km before our house. He continues on, unpacks the groceries, looks after the children while I get 4km to get some exercise, think and generally have time to myself.

 

There are only 24 hours in the day and you can’t change that. What creative ways do you make the most out of your day?

 

Written By

Carolyn is the editorial director of Champagne Cartel and a freelance writer. In her spare time she is a long-distance runner, peanut butter enthusiast, and single mum to three incredible humans.

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