10 signs you need some "you" time.

It starts with an eye twitch. It’s not noticeable to others, but I can feel it.

Then, I make my morning coffee and after one or two sips, I forget to drink it. I find it in random places around the house – on the bathroom sink, on the bookshelf, on the floor next to the front door…

Only you know when you need some “you” time. It might be a twitch of the eye or a sad, old cup of coffee with a hardened layer on the top that you’ve forgotten to drink. It’s safe to say that by the time you start experiencing these signs, you’re waaaaay overdue.

Here are 10 signs you need some “you” time:

Just as an FYI, this post is sponsored by RACQ. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

1. You really want a cup of tea but can’t be bothered to make it.

At night I like to relax with a cup of tea, but I can rarely be bothered to make it.

Sometimes I get as far as boiling the kettle. Other times I even put the teabag in the cup. Then I sit down for a moment, just a moment, and either become busy with important task like sewing up my son’s tattered Spiderman mask, again, and forget all about it.

2. Eat Pray Love makes you furious.

You know you might be feeling a bit deprived of “you” time when movies like Eat Pray Love and Under The Tuscan Sun just drive you crazy. Instead of happily following the main character’s journey to happiness and enlightenment, you just want to throw pretzels at the TV.

3. You give your partner a death look while they’re sleeping for being able to fall asleep so quickly.

As soon as I drag myself to bed, seconds after my head hits the pillow, a To Do list starts buzzing through my head. There’s always something I’m worried I’ll forget.

But while you are lying fretting, your partner fell asleep in seconds. Not fair. You may or may not be tempted to give them a jab in the ribs…

4. You envy your pets.

My back started hurting the other day while I was doing some work on my computer and I happened to glance out the window and there was my cat Milly lying on the grass in the sun, relaxing.

Oh, to be a cat or a dog, with the biggest challenge of the day being where to lie down to catch the sun’s rays – or where to lick yourself next.

5. You eat while doing other things.

Eating while standing up or while starting the washing up is never a good sign. Ah, to be able to sit down and enjoy an actual meal. Chicken chippies are delicious and all but chicken breast with mustard sauce and fancy vegies would be so much better. And a glass of Pinot Noir.

6. You spend more time on the toilet than you actually need to.

I once spent an hour on the toilet reading a book. It’s the only place where I am left alone. I sat there reading long after my business was taken care of and it was blissful. No, I wasn’t hiding. I was regrouping. Plus I’d been trying to read that book for weeks.

7. Your morning shower is the highlight of your day.

My time in the shower is sacred and anymore who tries to rush me will be growled at, or yelled at. My shower is where I prepare for the day ahead, where I enjoy the sensation of the hot water hitting the tops of my tension-filled shoulders. But guys, if your shower is the highlight of your day, you might want to take some time out, stat.

8. The letterbox seems too far away to walk.

Wow, that letter box is ALL THE WAY AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY. I know I should check it but it’s just so far and I am exhausted.

If only I had remembered to check it on my way INTO the house. Now my brain can’t cope with the idea of getting up again.

9. You watch TV while doing housework.

I record my favourite TV shows because most of them are on while I am wrestling, WRESTLING, my children into bed. So by the time I have a chance to sit down and watch them, I still have to polish school shoes, fix the kids art projects, pay bills, do my nails and make notes for work.

10. Your idea of pampering is shaving your legs.

You know you need “you” time when quickly shaving your legs in the shower feels like pampering and finding time to floss your teeth feels like a proper dental procedure. Small steps, my friend, small steps.

Do any of these sound familiar? If you are a woman, juggling work, family, kids and, you know, life, I’m guessing you were nodding along to most of them.

But don’t despair! It’s easy to find yourself stuck in a crazy, stressed-out rut, but the good news is, it’s easy to get out of.

Make time to head to the movies, yoga, or the gym, if that’s your thing.

Catch up with your girlfriends.

Or best of all, book that holiday you know you deserve.

Taking a little bit of time out for yourself isn’t selfish – it’s a smart investment (and it will mean your loved ones will be able to stand being around you).

How do you prioritise and find time for yourself?

It’s the simple things that make “you” time worthwhile…

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