(ThySistas.com) “You will never find time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.” – Charles Bixton
Women are so busy these days being a mother, wife and career woman that they often neglect taking those small pockets of time, and doing things for themselves. Those small pockets of time are your fringe hours. In the book titled, “The Fringe Hours” author, Jessica N. Turner surveyed women and the majority of the women, didn’t use fringe hours because they felt guilty for doing something for themselves or were overwhelmed with so many activities that they couldn’t create a time for self-care. Self-care is not only about getting weekly massages but it is more about doing things that makes you happy and a little R & R never hurt anybody.
Here are five ways that you can utilize your fringe hours:
Be still: Be still for about 5 to 10 minutes every day and refocus on your life and what really matters to you. Being still will avoid you taking on another project or participating in an activity that is not beneficial to your time. Being still for a few minutes before you start your day, reduces crankiness and stress that you will eventually take out on your loved ones or colleagues.
Rise early in the morning: To make time for yourself, you may have to start your day at 5am or 6am before your children and spouse wakes up. When you wake up early and do things that makes you happy (writing, reading, praying, crafting, etc.), you set the tone for your day. Start your day earlier requires you to get more rest at night, which goes against the motto of “late night grinding” that so many women take on.
Get involved in a like-minded community: If you enjoy writing poetry, join or attend your local open mic nights. Attend seminars or conferences for fellow writers or entrepreneurs. Sign up for that yoga class that you’ve been wanting to try out. Getting out and around other like-minded people are key to using your fringe hours to help you maintain your creativity and/or enjoy your “me time” with others.
Do something for yourself during your lunch period: If you work outside of the home, this is a perfect time for you to go get a massage, take a long walk, read your book while you eat your sandwich or salad, or go to the gym and work out to blow off some steam from the office. Once you return to work, you’ll be refreshed and ready to tackle the remaining items on your to-do list for that day. Don’t hang around the water cooler to hear the latest office gossip, get out and do something. If you work from home, create a time for you to go outdoors and do similar things that are listed above, just step away from your working environment for 30 minutes to one hour to do something for yourself.
Hire some help: You can fuss over that pile of laundry that’s been waiting on you to load it in the washer for weeks, tidy up on some much needed chores at the end of your work day, or you can hire some help around the house so that you can focus on spending more time with your family in the evenings. Hiring help may be in the form of meal planning or joining a food service to help reduce prep time in the kitchen that could be used towards, some other area in your life that needs your attention. There is someone out there who enjoys doing the things that you loathe, so hire them and make your life easier.
However, you chose to use your fringe hours are up to you, but please, use them. There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself. Take time out of your everyday life and do something for YOU.
Staff Writer; Felicia T. Simpson
One may also connect with this sister online over at; FTSimpson.com.