PP 123: Me Time vs Wasted Time

John Lennon once said, “Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.”

If you look on Google, you might also see it said as time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. I suppose we don’t need to get into discussing grammar in this episode. But I wanted to bring up today, the importance of me time vs. wasted time and how to really know the difference.

After I started my business, I had a lot of trouble justifying to myself that I should step away from my computer and take time for me.

Unfortunately, I was giving up on time with my family time with friends, and even just time to relax.

I wasn’t taking time to read books, I wasn’t taking really soulful, relaxed time, such as soaking in a hot bath.

And I wasn’t taking time to decompress and just let my brain and body have a chance to recuperate from all the stress I was putting them through.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

Regardless of whether or not you’re working out every day at the gym or running marathons, you can still be putting ourselves through tremendous stress physically, by working nonstop.

In early 2008, I found myself in a serious health battle after not giving myself time to sleep, and also forgetting to take medications that I needed to be taking from my thyroid.

I had been pushing myself so hard in my business that I had let my meantime and my self care time slip drastically. This is something that we as people and as entrepreneurs cannot afford to ever do to ourselves.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

If you’re contemplating taking a little bit of time, or maybe a lot of time away from your work, I don’t want you to feel guilty about that time, I want you to feel overjoyed. And here’s some items that you consider when you’re deciding whether or not you’re actually going to take that time away.

First, it is not wasted time if you are going to build memories with your loved ones during that time away.

A year from now or even 5, 10 or 20 years from now, your friends and loved ones and even YOU will be able to look back at the memories you make today with joy and that is something that you don’t want to miss out on.

If all you can remember, when you get to that point is working your butt off, is that really going to be worth it?

For me, it’s not.

I don’t want my kids to remember me as being the mom who was always at her computer and never around for them when they needed me, or even when they didn’t need me.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

Little breaks for myself and for them can even include turning on karaoke on YouTube and letting them sing along to their favorite Disney songs. Just these little memories alone are enough to make me smile even just a week later.

Sometimes, me time even just means getting out of your office and going to another working location. Whether or not you’re working there —  and I’m going to use the example of Starbucks here — giving yourself that break from your normal surroundings is often all you need to open up completely new channels of creativity and get the inspiration that you were not able to get sitting at your desk.

While time at coffee shops for me often includes doing work and having my laptop or a book with me. I know there may be some listeners who also enjoy visiting their local pub or bar occasionally.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

While there can be great social aspects such as connecting with friends associated with these bars, I do want to encourage you to drink in moderation. You may come up with a great idea while you’re out and you may have an awesome time with your friends and loved ones. However, if you can’t remember the next morning what you did the night before, was it really worth it?

I’m not here to tell you not to drink. However, please do it carefully.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

Friends, time spent on your personal hygiene or on your health are not wasted time. From the simple act of going to get our hair cut, or taking a shower, or spending the time in a waiting room at the doctor’s office so that we can be seen for a short doctor’s appointment, these are all activities that we need to do for ourselves.

I know you can probably argue with me that a daily shower is not necessary or even a weekly shower. Note, I do advise that you take showers more than once a week. Often a shower for me is what I would like to call caffeinated. I get so many ideas rushing through my head, just like the flow of the hot water that ideas seem to sprout out of the shower tap.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

If you haven’t listened to it yet, I do want to encourage you to listen to episode number 120, which you can find at https://thekimsutton.com/pp120, which was an interview with Dr. Linda Lehrhaupt, the co- author of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

In our chat and also in the book, Linda discusses how we really need to be more present in the present moment, and really enjoy where we are at right now. Give yourself that time to stop worrying about what happened in the past and stop being anxious about what’s happening in the future.

Do your best to live in the present moment and enjoy every moment at the highest degree possible.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

I’m going to circle back around to sleep for a moment. Sleep is not wasted time unless you are doing it all day. And sometimes all day sleep is completely necessary especially if you are sick.

However, sleep in moderation — and only you know how much sleep you need to get to be able to perform at your highest level — but sleep is completely necessary. You should never feel guilty or feel like you are wasting time for sleeping a minimum of six to eight hours a night.

I have been there. I honestly was trying to figure out how I could sleep four hour blocks at a time get up work for two and a half hours and then sleep for another hour. However, our bodies need deep sleep in order to recuperate.

I’m going to repeat it again. Sleep is not wasted time.

Me Time vs Wasted Time

There are so many activities that we can partake in on any given day that are not wasted time but benefit us in so many ways.

Whether you are going to the gym or reading or coloring in a coloring book or knitting or playing a video game, you can be finding inspiration and enjoying your time.

So give yourself that time to relax. Give yourself that time to enjoy your life outside of work.

And most importantly, give yourself that time to enjoy living.

With all this said, Go forth and have a positive and productive day.

Me Time vs Wasted Time