Mental wellness: important to prioritise “me time” in our busy lives

Just how important or even relevant is “me time”?

The mere expression conjures up all kinds of cliches, ranging from Mum needing a break before she loses the plot with her kids or Dad nipping off to the shed to “work” on his latest project.

Well, I strongly believe me time, or whatever you want to call it, is more important now than ever.

Speaking as a dad of three, with a wife who has a full-time job, I find moments of quiet become rarer as the week goes on.

I set aside time for relaxation and mental wellness but all too often those times go out the window due to the hectic nature of family life.

Is it harder in Oz? Well, maybe.

I think it is, simply due to the vast range of activities, sports and hobbies that are readily available to all of us, there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day.

My advice, which I struggle to follow myself, is to prioritise your “me time”.

Whatever that may mean to you — reading, walking, surfing, video games or meditation. Really, whatever floats your boat, so to speak.

Mental health is every bit as important to maintain as physical health.

Take care of yourself, take time for yourself, we all deserve to be selfish every now and again.

But that’s just the opinion of this Pom in Oz.