The Five "F's" of Dedicated Self-Improvement Time
I'm sure you can relate. After a long day of work, you're exhausted and still have to cook, clean, and manage the household, all while thinking about a personal project or some well-deserved self-care you'd like to focus on. I've decided to call this valuable time "Self-Improvement" time. This is the time I dedicate to myself. I was smiling as I decided to set aside 30 minutes to 1 hour each day for this purpose. While doing so, I felt the need to define what activities could be included during this time.
This revealed to me that there are five main areas for dedicated self-improvement time that are crucial for your personal well-being and future. Allow me to introduce the Five "F's" of Self-Improvement Time: fitness, future, finance, fabricate, and foundation. I should mention that this list assumes you are already following a healthy diet; if not, the sixth "F" might be FOOD for you! (Take a look at my other posts about healthy eating, which cover this extensively!).
Click here for the TLDR quick reference version:
Fitness
Not sure how much of an explanation fitness needs. It is said that to be in primary health you should have 20 minutes of elevated "Zone 2" heartrate per day, which is exercise that you can't hold a conversation. [Source] Although if that's not feasible for you, my philosophy is that doing something is better than nothing.
Examples: Yoga, walking, jogging, biking, nature walk, tennis, pickleball, dancing, lifting weights, cleaning (as in car, vacuum, floors).
Future
Future refers to the time you dedicate to investing in your future self. These are the actions your future self will appreciate from your past self. It’s about creating the version of yourself that you envision when you think of the coolest person you know. (As a fun exercise, list all the qualities of the coolest person you can imagine meeting, and then aim to embody those traits).
Examples: Building a business, writing a book, fixing your resume, applying for jobs, work on a skill, take classes, getting blood work
Finance
Finance is another straightforward area, but I'd like to highlight some finance-related activities that might be overlooked when discussing self-care and improvement. Naturally, there are the obvious aspects like working and earning a salary, but there's much more to finance in your life that can foster balance.
Example: Creating a budget, having a discussion with partner about financial goals, cancelling subscriptions, returning those pesky Amazon returns (get your money back!), paying bills, checking on goal progress.
Fabricate
The term fabricate was selected because it is synonymous with "create". This is a moment to engage your hands, committing to spend more time creating than consuming. In a technological world where it is easy to "consume" the arts and perspectives of others, but it is crucial to remain connected with your own.
Examples: Draw, paint, sculpt, sew, non-fiction writing, poetry, interior decoration, outfit planning, singing, freestyling on an instrument, furniture flip, etc.
Foundation
"Foundation," like "fabricate," was selected because it begins with an "F." Initially, the word for this category was going to be "relax," but I have come to value "foundation" more. I believe that if no other category fits you, this might be one of the most crucial. This is your opportunity to engage in foundational work to feel and be your best. It involves periods of silence and contemplation, no matter how uncomfortable, because you can't truly know yourself until you spend some time in quiet reflection or restoration.
Examples: meditation, journaling, relaxed walk in nature, yin yoga, baths, massage, reading, therapy.
A woman relaxes in a pool, gazing out at the serene expanse of the ocean.
In conclusion, if you're feeling lost on how to dedicate time to yourself, I hope these Five "F's" can help guide you. Let me know what you think!
Fitness | Future | Finance | Fabricate | Foundation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Yoga, walking, jogging, biking, nature walk, tennis, pickleball, dancing, lifting weights, cleaning (as in car, vacuum, floors) | Building a business, writing a book, fixing your resume, applying for jobs, work on a skill, take classes, getting blood work | Creating a budget, having a discussion with partner about financial goals, cancelling subscriptions, returning those pesky Amazon returns (get your money back!), paying bills, checking on goal progress | Draw, paint, sculpt, sew, non-fiction writing, poetry, interior decoration, outfit planning, singing, freestyling on an instrument, furniture flip, etc. | meditation, journaling, relaxed walk in nature, yin yoga, baths, massage, reading, therapy |
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