“Me” time

I used to lead a quiet lifestyle back in Ireland (Killarney is a very small town and there isn’t much to do there anyway!) and after almost four years in London, I’m still not quite used to the constant noise that surrounds me. I didn’t think I would say that but sometimes (only sometimes! I did leave for a good reason) I really miss the Irish countryside: to be able to walk to work (but then I got a car and sometimes drove the 1K distance instead 🙂 ); run for half an hour and end up in massive Killarney National Park; or hop into my car and drive to some of the most magnificent beaches I’ve ever seen in my life, Inch and Rossbeigh, both only a 40-minute drive away… Life was rather peaceful….

Where was I?! Well, peaceful or not, I did get feckin’ bored :). So, London was calling! Anyway, my work commute takes me through one of the busiest stations on to one of the most crowded metro lines and to say, that most of the time it’s unpleasant, is an understatement. I’m not going to list or describe all the gross things that come with the Tube commute but as we’re into summer, for me, the worst must be sweating so badly that you feel like you need a shower after you’ve just showered… And all the people… There are people everywhere! Slow ones, loud ones, annoying touristy ones, commuter rage suffering ones and so on. It’s exhausting! When I get home, I just unwind in peace and quiet and enjoy the silence.

Yes, no wonder I’m exhausted from all the noise and people and prefer to be left alone sometimes. Nothing wrong with that besides I’m also an introvert, actually, an ambivert, and I need to recharge my (social) batteries and this has to be done alone. I’m very comfortable with my own company as my husband travels a lot so I fill my evenings with reading books, watching all possible series on Netflix (I’m on Gossip Girl right now :P), drinking red wine, working out, running while listening to music and my latest discovery is colouring books for adults. Say what? There’s something so soothing in colouring in the lines helping you clear your mind, like meditation.

I really appreciate “me” time and that gives me energy to go out and socialise with my friends. This nice infographic illustrates how important it is to make time for ourselves.

How do you cope with busy lifestyles and how do you unwind after a long day after work?