How to Prioritize Personal Time Without Feeling Guilty

There is nothing unselfish about prioritizing personal time as a way of sustaining your energy, concentration and relations and you can do it guilt free with clear boundaries and a kind heart towards yourself. Also, see how to create boundaries between office and personal Life, Feeling guilty does not imply a character flaw, this mindset is what will typically be expressed and therefore reassess time-off as an obligation that will make you and the people surrounding you better individuals.​ For related stories and expert advice, see our Work-Life Balance section.

Set values first: Determine what two or three things your week must be: health, deep work, family, to ensure every no corresponds to a yes. Request: How do I feel? Use a pause check when requests are made. Before I reply, What do I need? helps eliminate autopilot people-pleasing.​

Employ boundary: scripts that confirm connection, guard time: “I would be happy to assist, but I cannot at this point, you can see me next week, or (evenings after 8 pm) no-work-at-all, no-work-at-all.” Display the limit by matching scripts with environmental indicators such as calendar blocks and Do Not Disturb.​

Grade of practice: low-stakes declines: begin with low-stakes exercises to develop tolerance to unpleasant stimuli and recondition the guilt reflex. The initial attempts will be clumsy, but it will become normal through repetition and confidence will be built.​

Displacement guilt: address yourself as you would a friend and observe all-or-nothing thinking- progress is better than perfection. Also, it is common knowledge that limits tend to enhance trust, as individuals feel at ease with what to expect and you appear to be more present.​

Simple plan of the week: Quick starter block two recovery windows, write three scripts, enable DND after 8 pm, and make a daily needs check of 30 seconds– simple, repeatable, and with a minimum of guilt.

Also read: 12 Countries with the Worst Work-Life Balance