Are You Really Reclaiming My Time?

When Auntie Maxine Waters used a House of Representatives floor procedure to reclaim her time, she inadvertently inspired many women to also proclaim we too were ‘reclaiming my time.’

If you’ve been living under a rock or traveling to Cuba without the internet, then you might have missed it. However, for the rest of you, I’m sure you saw the memes and heard the gospel song inspired by the phrase ‘reclaiming my time’ as it went viral.

Reclaim your time in Puerto Rico this November – Unplug and Be Free Girls Trip

The phrase ‘reclaiming our time’ made us feel like Beyoncé’s Lemonade made us feel. We wanted to reclaim our time from our stressful jobs that probably don’t appreciate all that we do. We were reclaiming our time from energy suckers. And we were finally willing to tell the world that “I have the strength to reclaim my time and put me first.”

But how many of you have actually taken action to reclaim your time?

My gut says for many, the statement ‘reclaiming my time’ was like a New Year’s Resolution. Auntie Maxine’s words inspired a surge of courage to get out of our comfort zone and demand our right to time. Then life got in the way (once again) and we went back to our regularly scheduled lives of giving our time to everyone but ourselves.

Time is one of the most valuable currencies. It is even more valuable than the dollar. You can always get money back, but you will never get this moment back or all the other times you put someone else before your needs.

So I ask again, what are you doing to reclaim your time and not lose more?

Ways you can immediately reclaim your time

Learn to say no
Schedule a ‘Me Day’ where you solely focus on things that make you happy and not others
Take a trip by yourself or with others
Do absolutely nothing with no shame, if that’s what reclaiming your time means to you