Why ‘Time for Myself’ Is No Longer a Luxury but a Lifeline

 

1. What It Means to Take Time for Yourself

“Do you even have time

to think your own thoughts?”

A friend asked me this

after I’d gone through

three straight weeks

without a single hour

to just... sit.

That question stayed with me.

And maybe it's with you too.

Time for myself used to feel optional.

Now I know

it’s essential maintenance.

According to the Korea Stress Research Center

(2025 1Q report),

self-allocated quiet time

of at least 45 minutes per day

reduced burnout risk

by 31.2% in adult participants.

This is not about luxury.

It’s about keeping ourselves

functioning, feeling, and free.

2. Why We Struggle to Make Time

Constant connectivity has rewired our minds

Push alerts, DMs, work emails

it’s a 24/7 world.

Even silence now

feels like something we need

to schedule.

That’s not just a feeling.

Harvard Business Review (2024)

called modern busyness

a “productivity addiction”

with real consequences:

mental fatigue,

decision overload,

and emotional depletion.

Guilt culture and the ‘always-on’ myth

Many of us grew up

watching adults

“sacrifice everything”

and still feel like

doing less is failure.

But rest is not laziness.

It’s recovery.

And recovery is

what makes resilience possible.

3. What ‘Time for Myself’ Actually Looks Like

Time for yourself

doesn’t mean

booking a spa day (though go ahead!).

It can be ordinary

tiny, flexible.

Here are real-life categories

to consider as your baseline.

Solo physical movement

A quiet 15-minute walk,

yoga at home,

dancing in your room

to that one comforting song

it grounds the body

and gives the brain breathing room.

Thoughtful stillness

Journaling.

Staring at the ceiling.

Watching clouds pass.

It feels unproductive

but studies show

this kind of empty space

actually stimulates creativity

(Seoul Brain & Behavior Lab, 2025).

Creative immersion

Crocheting. Woodworking.

Playing the piano for no one.

Coloring a page.

Making a silly playlist.

Creating something

without an outcome

is radically healing.

Digital disconnection

Turning off your phone

for just one hour

can lower cortisol levels

(Science Korea, 2024)

and help you regulate

your emotional baseline.

It feels weird at first

and then it feels free.

4. Real People, Real Routines

Not everyone can escape

to a mountain cabin.

So here’s how people

in busy cities

are creating time

for themselves daily

• Minseo (35, Seoul) works in finance.
  
  She schedules 30 minutes of silence each morning
  
  no music, no phone.
  
  
  

• Jinwoo (42, Busan) does his self-time in the car after work,
  
  parked outside the apartment. Just breathing.
  
  
  

• Ara (28, Incheon) combines her skincare with healing podcasts.
  
  “That’s my gentle reset,” she says.
  
  
  

• Yeseul (24, Gwangju) makes playlists for her future self
  
  “like writing letters in song form.”

You don’t need hours.

You need intention.

5. Benefits of Making Time for Yourself

Mental clarity

Stepping away

from your obligations

helps the brain shift

from survival mode

to reflective thinking.

That’s when real insight

can actually show up.

Emotional balance

Without time to feel,

emotions get stuck.

Personal time gives space

for sadness, joy, confusion

without judgment.

Reconnection with purpose

In silence,

you might remember

what you were

trying to become

before life got noisy.

6. How to Start Creating Time for Yourself

You don’t need to overhaul

your schedule in one day.

You just need to

begin noticing moments

you already have

but haven’t claimed.

Identify energy leaks

What drains you

but adds no meaning?

Start there.

Say no gently

but firmly.

Start with 15 minutes

Choose a time

that feels easiest to protect

right after lunch,

before bed,

even in the shower.

Make it sacred.

No phone. No plans. Just you.

Anchor it to a ritual

Pair your time

with a habit:

tea, candle, journal,

or a walk at sunset.

Anchors help turn moments

into rhythm.

7. Time for Myself: A Lifelong Investment

I used to think

self-time was a reward

for finishing everything else.

Now I know

it’s the only way

I’ll ever have the energy

to keep showing up

for everything else.

Taking time for yourself

is not selfish.

It’s strategic.

It’s human.

And it’s something

we must learn and re-learn

in every season of life.

Summary & Action

What to Remember

• Time for yourself is essential, not extra
  
  

• It helps restore focus, calm, and purpose
  
  

• Small, consistent rituals matter more than grand getaways

Try This Today

• Look at your calendar
  
  

• Block off 15 minutes
  
  

• Label it “Me. No Explanation.”

What could happen if you claimed that time back

just once a day?

Let’s try it and see what changes.