plan ahead

I’m a lot less busy than I used to be but I still rely on my calendar to make sure I get things done. Whether you keep a paper record, a mental record or, like millions of smartphone users, an electronic one, you probably have some sense of your schedule and appointments for the upcoming week.

Meetings for work, doctors’ appointments, coffee or dinner with friends – whatever you obligate yourself to, a calendar is probably the handiest, most useful tool you use for short-term, long-term or last minute planning. Beside that, there are some things you do that never need to go on your calendar. Maybe you begin each day at the gym. You don’t need to write that down because it’s simply your routine. There are plenty of things that fall into this category, too, like a shower, driving to work, doing your laundry, listening to a podcast or watching TV.

So, how do you make sure you’re taking care of yourself? Even your daily walk or morning workout or evening chat with your elderly parent can become part of your routine.

If you wonder about me time and where that’s gone, then I suggest you put something on your daily schedule. Block out 10 extra minutes for your next trip to go out for coffee. Instead of hitting the drive-through, park your car and go inside. Stand up in line. Sit down in the coffee shop. Taste your coffee. Treat yourself to those 10 minutes. Don’t look at your phone. Look at the people, or the walls, or out of the window. Just allow yourself to actually drink and smell and taste the coffee.

Or, when you’re alone in your car, driving to work, home from work, to the next appointment, or whatever has you on the go, turn off the radio or audiobook or podcast. Just drive. Feel the car on the road. See the other cars. Notice the scenery. Just breathe in silent awareness for five minutes, or ten, or more.

Mostly it’s about finding quiet time. Even if you are so busy that your only quiet private place is when you’re in the shower or bath (oh, I remember those years very well), just do that. Tell your family or yourself that you are unavailable until x o’clock. Consider this just another appointment on the calendar that you must keep. Then shut the door, turn on the tap, and sink into or stand under the warm water and feel every drop. Breathe. Pay attention. Make sure you keep this very important appointment with yourself.

One way or another, find the time to just quietly sit (or stand) and breathe in your life. And breathe it out. And in. And out. Daily.

Block out those minutes on your calendar. Five minutes at least. More if you can. Every day. And then just breathe.

© 2025 www.megreilly360.com

10/20/2025