Our lives are as hectic as we allow them to be.

It is so rewarding to be busy and to have a purpose. Busy people are generally high achievers, organised and time efficient and get typically great joy from their accomplishments also.

As the saying goes, “ if you want something done, ask a busy person”.

The downside of being a busy person is that we can get stressed out if we don’t get everything done in the amount of time we give ourselves. I relate to this. Each week and each day, I set myself tasks to accomplish, penning them all down on my desk planner and highlighting them with different coloured fluorescent markers. Then there is the joy of ticking each one off at the end of each day and week!

However, even for those who are generally time efficient and systematic, ‘life’ can often get in the way. Situations involving family, relationships, health and friends can and often arise that interfere with our planned schedule. Other factors, like poor sleep, can cause us to feel tired and unable to sustain mental energy throughout the day.

Although we may feel the pull of the responsibilities to which we feel committed and don’t want to let people down, we firstly must prioritise ourselves.

We must not become anxious and stressed if we don’t finish everything today. Let it go; it doesn’t matter; it can wait until tomorrow, the next day or next week.

We must learn to be kind to ourselves.

Here are some ideas for 15 or 30-minutes of ‘time out’ self-help activities to alleviate anxiety and stress and strengthen thought function:

• • Take a long brisk walk. Walking can be a form of meditation

• • Practice guided meditation using an app

• • Practice guided Yoga using an app or work through a few sets of Sun Salutations

• • Write a ‘gratitude journal’ and leave it somewhere accessible

• • Enjoy an exciting podcast while preparing and eating lunch

• • Create a tea ceremony using your favourite teapot and cup

• • Light a scented candle or place a few drops of essential oils into a diffuser

Finding ourselves in a stressed state of mind can happen quickly, but the main thing is to notice and name these feelings when stressed or anxious, enabling us to take action towards self-care to maintain the well-functioning happy lives we deserve.