How to Schedule Time With Yourself Without Feeling Selfish

How to Schedule Time With Yourself Without Feeling Selfish - Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Have you ever noticed how we always make time for conversations with others, but rarely for ourselves? We fill our calendars with meetings and catch-ups: a chat with Marianne, a call with Jean-Pierre, a coffee with Arnaud. But if you saw “meeting with myself” in someone’s agenda, it might seem odd. Yet, this is one of the most important appointments you could ever make.

Taking time to talk to yourself is not just a quirky idea. It is essential for personal growth. Before you can truly grow, you need to know yourself. That means setting aside moments to reflect, question, and brainstorm with yourself. These are the times when you figure out what you still need to achieve, where you can improve, and how you can challenge your own thinking.

We often tell ourselves, “Yes, I should spend more time on personal growth. I should brainstorm more. I should question myself more often.” But we rarely take it seriously enough to actually schedule it. We don’t block out time in our calendars, or make it a regular habit. Imagine if, every Saturday or Friday, you had a set time just for you. Most of us don’t do this, and honestly, it’s a bit absurd that we don’t.

This is why I want to encourage you to set aside at least one hour a week for yourself. Treat it like a date with yourself—a time invested in your own personal growth. Use this time to look at where you can invest in yourself, what you can do for your own well-being, and how you can become more focused. Reading a book about focus is great, but if you never make time to apply what you learn, it’s like throwing the book away.

How to Schedule Time With Yourself Without Feeling Selfish - Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

Think strategically and long-term. Ask yourself: What can I do next week? What can I change in my days or my week to become a new, improved version of myself? Always look at yourself and ask: Am I better today than I was yesterday? Will I be better tomorrow than I am today?

Never compare yourself to others. When you do, you’re comparing your inside—what you truly know about yourself—to someone else’s outside, the part they show to the world. Everyone shows their outside, but only you know your inside. The only real comparison is between who you were yesterday and who you are today.

To do this, you need to make time for yourself. Use it to reflect, brainstorm, and plan. Decide: Today, I will do A, B, and C. This is your moment to design your own path.

Think of this as a little reminder, like a booster shot, to help you remember what’s obvious but often forgotten. Take this as your sign to finally schedule that time for yourself. Tonight, set aside a moment just for you.

The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday. — Anonymous

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. — Aristotle

How to Schedule Time With Yourself Without Feeling Selfish - Photo by Bohdan Stocek on Unsplash

Key Takeaways

• Make regular appointments with yourself for reflection and growth.
• Treat self-conversations as seriously as meetings with others.
• Focus on comparing yourself only to your past self, not to others.
• Use your “me time” to brainstorm, question, and plan for a better you.

Reflection

• When was the last time you scheduled time just for yourself?
• What would your week look like if you made self-reflection a habit?
• How can you become a better version of yourself, starting today?