Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Recently, I was in Florida after having been on the road for the past eight days with my family. We started this little trip in Chicago for some fun, and then some sun in in the Sunshine State. We were vacationing with another family in Chicago and had an awesome time!

As I’m sure you can imagine though, this much travel with this many people has made it difficult to carve out the alone time I value so much in my daily routine. I used to believe making “me time” was selfish, but honestly, I need it to recharge my batteries and be the best version of myself . . . And there’s nothing selfish about that at all.

So how have I stayed sane while traveling with all these folks, you ask? I have a few secrets up my sleeve, and I’m about to share them with you! If you’re wondering how the heck you can recharge when you have no alone time, you’ve come to the right place.

1. Use your workout time to get away from the buzz.

If you’re like me, you’ll likely want to keep up your workout routine while you’re on the road. That’s great! Duck into the gym and enjoy some time to work on yourself, away from the group.

Grab your headphones and go. This way, even if others want to work out too, you’ll be in the land of your own personal playlist.  For this trip, my kiddo came with me to workout a few times and that turned out to be great. It was a very cool bonding time for us to hit the gym together.

2. Catch some extra Zzz’s.

If you find that you’re feeling cranky with your travel companions, it might be a matter of needing extra rest. Travel takes more out of us than we acknowledge sometimes! If you can afford to sleep in a little extra, that’s great. If you have to be up early, try to find time for a mid-afternoon nap. Even if you don’t have enough to actually fall asleep for an extended period, just laying in a quiet space with your eyes closed for ten minutes is a great way to charge your batteries.

3. Just ask.

If you’re really in a position where subtly carving out time for yourself isn’t working, try being up front with the people around you. There’s no need to be mean, but be honest. Use lots of “I” statements and simply explain that while you’re having a great time hanging out with everyone, you’re the kind of person who really needs a little alone time to function. Tell your family and friends that you’ll be taking a half hour to read, walk on the beach, have some tea, or whatever leaves you feeling refreshed. If you say it with kindness, they’ll understand—and they might even be happy for the open door to take some recharge time for themselves!

As for me, I love the warm days here in Florida, and I use them to their fullest! I spend lots of time with my family, but I also take some time each morning to hit the gym, stretch, and put in a little time on the elliptical.

I hope these tips have been helpful for you! If you start feeling guilty about taking “me time,” remember: You have to put the mask on yourself first.

I’ll be posting again this time next week, but until then, what I hope for you is that you live a life you love without being hungry, feeling deprived, or giving up your glass of wine with dinner. Have a wonderful week, enjoy the beautiful spring weather wherever you are, and don’t forget to comment and let me know whether you think this tips will work for you! I’m never more than an email away if you have questions. Talk to you soon.