Get happier by taking 15% of the day for yourself
I recently read that 15% of the hours you are awake in any given day should be focused entirely on you. I googled it, and I got a lot of information about blood sugar drops, drivetrain power loss, and E15, so perhaps it’s not all that common a rule. But really, it should be.
Say you get up at 8am and usually go to sleep around 11pm, getting 9 hours of sleep. Then at least 2 hours of every single day should be focused on activities solely for your benefit.
People who use this report that they are happier both inside and out.
Three Easy Steps to Implement the 15% Rule
1. Make your list. Determine what daily activity or activities you love to do, what gives you energy, what makes you a happier person. Mine: working out (can be gym, yoga, skiing, running, swimming, etc), walking the dog, cooking a new meal, reading my favorite blogs, journaling, crafting (or at least Pinterest-ing things I might want to craft). Those are all just for me—well, except maybe walking the dog.
2. Ease into it. You can start with 15 minutes if that’s all you feel like you have! For me, working out is non-negotiable, though what form it takes is. Sometimes I have time for two hours at the gym. Sometimes, I squeeze in 17 minutes and call it a day. Sometimes, walking to the coffeeshop has to count as my exercise.
3. Keep it up, but don’t sweat it. Once you’ve been 15%-ing for even a few days, you’ll notice a difference. Miss a few days? Don’t sweat it, just get back in the saddle. There’s no right way to live your 15%, make it work for you.
Making YOU a priority even for a small amount of time every day will have an enormous payoff in all areas of your life!
