Give Yourself A Time-Out

I always find myself counting to my kids… “1…2…” Usually by 2, the one who’s been threatened with a time out, says irritably “okay, okay, Jeeeezzzzz mom.” I don’t understand why they think a time out is so terrible. I would love a time out. As soon as someone got to “one,” I’d be ready to go. “Yippee! I get a time out!"  It would be great replying to my kids with“you don’t like tonight’s dinner? Fine, I'm going to time-out!” or “You’re going to throw a tantrum because you can’t watch more Zac and Cody? Great, give me a time out.”

Time-out for grown ups are actually a very good idea. Research shows that just three minutes of an adult time-out can seriously lower stress, boost your mood and improve your mind. Try this (as recommended by UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (marc.ucla.edu):

~ In a quiet room, stand, sit upright, or lie in a comfortable place.

~ Close your eyes and notice what’s happening in your body. Do you feel agitated, stressed, etc.

~ Breathe slowly and deeply for a minute. Don’t worry about thoughts that may be drifting in your mind – that’s normal.

~ Listen to the sounds around you. Notice the silences and breathe.