I CAN’T tell you how many times recently someone has told me they would love to have some ‘me-time’ but don’t feel able to because it makes them feel too guilty.

One lady recently said she felt like she was juggling a dozen different balls but that not one of them was a ball which was just for her.

This is particularly the case in the mad rush up to Christmas. People seem pulled in about twenty directions at once. Things to get on top of at work, presents to buy, travel arrangements to make whilst the trains aren’t even running, food shopping to do and all of this whilst most of us are wondering whether we can even afford to heat our homes.

Hardly surprising that it can all suddenly feel too much. All of that just makes it all the more important to schedule in some time for yourself. And much as it may be a cliché – it is almost impossible to look after other people if you are constantly at breaking point yourself.

We can all do it for a while, but in the end it catches up with you and you will simply run out of steam. If you are one of those who easily falls into the trap of feeling guilty about taking time out for yourself – think of it as a recharge session.

You almost certainly plug your phone in every night before you go to sleep and if you have a laptop you will regularly recharge that as well.

Shouldn’t we, at the very least, value ourselves as much as our electronic devices? As a mother of seven children myself, I know that this is often easier said than done. However with a bit of creative thinking it is almost always possible.

What is certain is that if you are a busy person then time to look after yourself will not happen unless you make it a priority. So once the rush and excitement of Christmas is behind us (which is only a few days away now) make sure that your new diary for 2023 is not all about other people but also includes some regular chunks of time for you.

Plan these in advance and you will see what a difference it makes to your feeling of balance and wellbeing. Whether or not you are someone who enjoys making resolutions in the new year – at least consider making a mental note to regularly schedule in some time which is solely for the purpose of looking after yourself.

In just a few weeks there is every chance you will feel less frazzled, less guilty and more upbeat. In these times of financial hardship, this is one investment which is pretty much guaranteed to pay dividends.