It’s that time of year again—you know the one—when we gather with family and give presents. With all the parties and the cards and the decorating, it can be easy to get lost in the busyness. By this point, though, you’ve been enamored with “Remember the Reason for the Season” posters and tons of videos, stories, movies, TV shows, music, and who knows what else trying to tell you it’s okay to give small gifts—it’s the thought that counts; or remember that spending time with your family is the important part.
I bet you’re tired of hearing about these things. I’m guessing that you know all this already, and you’re trying your hardest to do all the right things, feel the right things, and say the right things, but you’re exhausted! Sometimes staying in the right head space and being present can hurt as much as being a Scrooge or a Grinch. I’m here to tell you to take some time for yourself. Between your job, family, and influx of activity, where do you fit into all of this?
Now, I know what you’re thinking: We have less than a week until Christmas Day. This permission to take time for myself is a little late. Alternatively, you might be thinking: I don’t have time for myself. Okay, two things: You still have time even now, and you must choose how to spend your time.
Here’s the thing, everyone has the same amount of time. There are only 24 hours in a day, and as long as you’re breathing, you have time. Here’s how you can make different choices on how to use time for yourself.
1. Say no
That’s right. You don’t have to go to every party, concert, gift exchange, pageant, or whatever event with the word “Christmas” attached to it. If you say no to some things, you can say yes to things that really matter, like locking yourself away in your room for a few minutes to an hour to read, paint, sleep, or pray. Maybe saying no to that office party means you can say yes to taking that carriage ride with your family, going to look at store windows, or driving through the neighborhood looking at lights.
What’s that? It takes 45 minutes to get through the line to see and do those special things? Do something special while you wait. Sing with your kids, take turns making up a story, play through a thumb war tournament. No one said you had to stand stiffly staring at nothing, or scroll through your phone. That leads me to the next one.
2. Stop scrolling
You know what I mean. Maybe it’s surfing YouTube, flying through reels and TikToks, or making that comment on X. You know it already; doing any of those things every free moment doesn’t actually energize you. And if you’re one of those rare people that it really does help, don’t do it at any free moment. Instead, take time to really immerse yourself in those cute kitten videos and cosplay nonsense. But only watch those things that do make you happy. That’s the next point.
3. When you take time for yourself, really do it
That may mean putting on your headphones and jamming to your favorite music, reading the next chapter of that book you’ve been too busy to finish, taking a nap, painting your fingernails, or praying. Whatever it is, give it your full attention.
Maybe you’re a mom with a newborn. I bet you could listen to that song while you burp the little human, change their diaper, or give them a bath. Sure, you’re still multitasking, but you’re multitasking for yourself. Maybe your energizer is praying. You can do that without closing your eyes and bowing your head. And if you have that newborn, praying while taking care of your baby will be good for both of you.
Perhaps you have 3 jobs, and you haven’t seen your family in a while. Even 10 minutes with your family is nice, and then taking 10 minutes to enjoy something on your own will go a long way. If you find you have it, use 1 hour to spend alone, or with someone you truly care about that really makes you happy. 10 minutes to an hour every day, or every three days, doing something you love will go a long way.
4. It’s biblical
Did you know Jesus took time to be alone and re-energize Himself in the midst of His ministry? He only ministered for 3 years, but He shook the world. His greatest act happened in a weekend! Yet we see over and over again Jesus going off somewhere alone to pray. Nothing helped Him prepare for the next day’s activities more than praying, and it was His go-to when he was in excruciating distress.
An irony I thought of just now is that when Jesus went alone to pray, he was doing all of the above. He was spending time alone, spending time with family, and spending time with God. I mean, if Jesus is God, then yes, He was technically by Himself. Also, God is His Father, so He’s spending time with family. And, well, He’s talking to God, so yeah, He’s doing all three. (Don’t think about it too hard. It has to do with the Trinity. Just go with it.)
Did you notice that one repeated phrase? Spending time. Time is a currency, an allowance. I said earlier that we all get the same amount of time and we choose what to do with it. Jesus chose to spend time on rejuvenating Himself for the work He had to do. Like I said, He only worked for 3 years. That seems like a small amount of time for what He accomplished.
How many of us don’t have a long-term deadline, but are simply living day by day? Why can’t we take some time to get alone, to do something we love, and even pray, each day? What would happen if we prioritized replenishing our souls? Maybe our holidays would become an even better experience.
~ Beth
Beth Freemont 