Planning Pleasure
Do you have any leisure activities on your list of things to do? Does your weekly planning or calendaring process account for pleasure?
It might not come naturally to think of pleasure as a timed activity. In fact, if you are in the habit of resenting your schedule you may hate the idea of putting pleasure on your calendar. Here are some reasons why you may benefit from doing so:
If you plan your pleasure in advance, then when that time comes there’s no question as to what you should be doing. Without this concrete commitment to your own pleasure, it’s easy to let our brain wander into thinking we should be doing something productive instead of pleasurable. That’s because our society and culture value productivity over pleasure, especially for women.
Our roles as employees, bosses, wives, mothers, community members, etc., means there’s always something that needs to do get done. This can seep into every minute of every day if you let it. Blocking out time to say no to everything but your bubble bath/solo hike/sleeping in/Bridgeton binge is a way to make sure you get some time to relax, recharge, and enjoy life.
Another reason why planning pleasure benefits us is by helping to keep us on task. If your schedule says it’s time for work and the idea of turning on Netflix instead comes to mind, it’s easier to stay focused on work when you know exactly when your TV watching time is scheduled.
And while yes, getting more pleasure in your life does make you a more productive employee/member of society, that’s not why I’m recommending it. I’m recommending it as part of a practice of valuing yourself more, overall. You deserve rest not because you worked hard, but because you’re alive.
I start each day with at least 20 minutes of rest, sitting in bed with my coffee and my dogs, and far away from my phone. I let my mind wander, enjoying the morning light and peaceful quiet (or the noise of the garbage collection.)
What would you do every day just for you? If the idea of dedicating time to enjoying yourself feels too indulgent, let’s jump on a call. I can help you uncover barriers to your you-time and equip you with the tools to put yourself first.