Finding time for what matters most, when we all have too much on our plates is a daily challenge for most of us.

It’s a challenge that is difficult for everyone – and can be made more difficult for women because so many of us are socialized to say “yes” to others’ needs and wants, almost without thinking. Indeed, many of us have grown up with the notion that self care is selfish.  Couple that with the idea that we should be addressing everyone’s needs, and you can see how our plates quickly become full-to-overflowing!

Contrary to the myth that self care is selfish, I want to emphasize that self care is a core responsibility! If we do not care for ourselves, we cannot be available to others, it’s that simple.

Even further, constantly saying yes to others’ wants is damaging to relationships, because it depletes you, drains your energy, and ultimately leads to feelings of resentment (often unspoken).  It is also disempowering of the other person, to always have you addressing his/her needs, especially if you are doing things that the person could do him/herself.

On the other hand, saying no to others’ demands, and establishing a boundary for yourself, can be a gift to everyone involved.  It can find you more time, strengthen your relationships, and give you back control over your life!

Related Posts

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• Find Time for Boundaries and Self Care During the Holidays!
• Time For A Break?
• Solopreneur: Are Struggles With Overeating and Weight Keeping You From Your A-Game?

This entry was posted on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 1:25 pm and is filed under Self Employment Law, The SELF of Self Employment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the Author
Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals, small businesses, and solopreneurs align their time choices with their life goals and core values. Heart-based time management is her passion. Paula enjoys nothing more than working with people to recognize and help facilitate the small time choices that lead to large, life changes … because the way you use your time is the way you live your life!

If you're ready to stop feeling overwhelmed, sign up for Paula's FREE Finding Time Boundary Template at http://www.findingtime.net/ezine.html/. And for more time tips and techniques, visit Paula's Blog at http://thetimefinder.com.