‘RESERVED FOR ME’ TIME
“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measure or far away.” Thoreau
In ancient days, the seventh day of the week was known as the Sabbath. The day was considered precious and a ‘day of rest’. Reserved for some of life’s most important, yet commonly neglected pursuits, including spending time with one’s family and hours in deep reflection and self – renewal, it provided a chance for hard – working people to renew their batteries and spend a day living life more fully. However, as the pace of life quickened and more activities began to compete for people’s attention, this wonderful tradition was lost along with the tremendous personal benefits that flowed from it.
Stress itself is not a bad thing. It can often help us perform at our best, expand beyond our limits and achieve things that would otherwise astonish us. Just ask any elite athlete. The real problem lies in the fact that in this age of global anxiety we do not get enough relief from stress and thus fail to extract the wisdom that flows from it. So, to revitalize yourself and nourish the deepest part of you, it is important to plan for a ‘reserved day’ – to get back to the simpler pleasures of life, pleasures that you may have given up as your days grew busier and your life more complex.
Bringing this simple ritual into your weeks will help you reduce stress, connect with your more creative side and feel far happier in every role of your life.
Your weekly sabbatical does not have to last a full day. You can start with a few hours alone, perhaps on a quiet morning, when you can spend some time doing the things you love to do the most.
Ideas include
- spending time in your favourite bookstore
- watching the sun rise
- taking a solitary walk along a beach and writing in your journal.
- Organizing your life so that you get to do more of the things you love to do is one of the first steps to life improvement.
Who cares if others don’t understand what you are trying to accomplish by making this ‘time off’ as an essential part of your life. Do it for yourself, you are worth it
If you have done or practiced the list mentioned above and find it common, then, here are three things that I keep doing once a while and I find tremendous power, energy and benefits from it
- Couple of hours without cell phones or gadgets: In today’s gadget and cell phone driven world, just thinking of living without it for a day or even couple of hours can be daunting for many. If you can practice it (spend a day or half a day or at least couple of hours without your cell phones and gadgets), you will see a huge difference in your awareness towards your surroundings. Initially, you may struggle a lot and the temptation to get back to your electronic world may be too much, but with patience, discipline and perseverance, you will overcome that temptation gradually.
- Enjoying a day with limited money in your pocket: This is another thing that I really benefitted a lot from. There are days when I just keep Rs 50/ sometimes even Rs20 and I try to spend my day with that. (I don’t keep wallets/cards/ or even cell phones on those days as there would always be a temptation to use Gpay or Phonepay through phone, by the way I have been practicing this for long, much before online transactions/upi transactions were introduced). The idea is to find those places where you can enjoy and happily spend time without being dependent on money. Of course, since you cannot go to multiplex, or board a taxi, cab or book ola/uber, you have to find alternate means and ways to travel (like a bus or a metro), and since you cannot have food in a restaurant with that meagre amount, you will have to find other options (I leave that to you to find the option of your choice), but for me, I discovered a lot of places where I can find good, hygienic food without costing me a lot.
I also realized that ‘people’ are our greatest resources in this world and ‘no money’ and ‘no cell phones’ made me more open to conversation with strangers and passengers. I personally learn a lot of the city, places, food, places to see, things to do etc. by talking to these ‘so called strangers’.
3. Visiting worlds within our world: Rarely do we realize that there are worlds within our world. I was fortunate enough to have been closely associated with several community service acts and NGO since my teenage years. Visiting orphanages, Homes for Elderly, hospitals and the likes changes our way of thinking and seeing life. It makes us humbler and allows us to experience other’s perspectives and emotions. Eventually, this definitely makes us more thankful and grateful towards whatever we have received in life.
How do you use your ‘Reserved for Me’ time? If you have not started yet or have been away from yourself for a long time, I urge you to start taking time for yourself and you cannot do that unless you reserve it for yourself. It is worth it. Try it please.