This lack of me-time is impacting our relationships more than ever before. Without easy and frequent opportunities to have individual space, feelings of irritability, resentment, and frustration are amplified.
3 Tips to “Get Away”:
Early-Bird and Night-Owl: Often, there is one partner who naturally wakes earlier, and one who naturally stays up later. Taking advantage of this natural instinct can be vital to finding alone time. Note: Make sure you spend that alone time doing something that refuels your “emotional bank account” (i.e. not scanning the news or eating an entire tray of brownies).
The Grand Outdoors: Getting outside of the house, breathing fresh air, and oxygenating your muscles can alleviate a lot of stress and tension. Take a walk, hop on a bike, listen to your favorite music, and get yourself moving – out in nature.
Bathrooms are Your Friend: Taking a long shower, reading a book in the bathtub, or even watching your favorite Netflix show in the closet can be a fantastic way to give yourself even a little break during your day.
Talk to Your QuaranTeam:
Describe the Team Benefits of you having some alone time. For instance, “I’ve noticed I start to get really irritable by the late afternoon every day. I think if I took some time right after lunch to go for a jog, it would really help me from so easily getting impatient and snarky with everyone at dinnertime.”
Ask what kind of alone time might be helpful to your partner and children. For instance, “Since it looks like we might be home several more weeks, I thought maybe you’d like some time to work on your X project, go for a bike ride, or just have some downtime by yourself?”
In the end, the uncertainty of our current environment can leave us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and upset. Any and all tools we can implement to get the time and space we need, will help us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Find what works for you and make it non-negotiable. Your QuaranTeam will thank you for it when this is all over!