Going crazy because you’ve got no time for yourself? Stop right now. Get into your calendar. Pick an hour — any hour — and make an appointment with yourself. Then, learn this important lesson: You own your calendar. You don’t need to complain about work-life balance, you don’t need to ask for tips on work-life balance. You just need to balance your life by owning your calendar.

Just as you find ways to make time for your hairdresser and physician, you can make time for yourself. All you have to do is decide to own your calendar. It’s your time.

Really. You get one life. Your time is spent the way you spend it. You do have many, many, many obligations, but those are your chosen callings. You can say no to a few things. You can do a few minimums on other things to create time for yourself. But, it is an amazing thing when you just write the word “off” in a slot on your calendar. Everything else fits around it.

This may sound overly simplified — especially if you are a parent who is truly juggling too much. But your time is your time. You can still, love, honor and adore the people around you, as well as be devoted to your work and community without putting yourself last every single time. You matter. You can’t be good for everyone else when you aren’t good for yourself.

There are times when you don’t have time to do anything except the insanity at hand. But those are exceptions. They must be exceptions. If they are not, then you need to make life changes that will give you enough calming moments in your day so you can function and actually live your life.

Look at your calendar. Give yourself an hour tomorrow. A day off within the next couple of weeks. Take the time, because it is your time. If you give every minute away, were you even here on this earth?

This post first appeared at www.FawnGermer.com