This month's article is dedicated to the super-duper busy people. Doing great things but neglecting yourself in the process. Yes, there are tons of information about the importance of reducing stress. We all know how difficult stress feels and the repercussions of not addressing it. You may be a guru in stress reduction techniques, then take a new job, or promoted in a new position, or just got married, or relocated to a new home, or have a newborn baby, and now there just isn't enough time in the day to address the stress of it all. You know you are experiencing accumulating stress as you recognize it in the body. You may know what helped reduce it in the past, but the question is how does one make time with these exciting "new" things acquired in life?

How does the busy person make time for stress reduction? One may barely have time for a lunch break, let alone a massage or a jog or even go for a walk in nature.

The first step is to address your perspective. Your health matters. It matters just as much as the important work you do, if not more. Because if you are not okay, all else that you are juggling will not turn out well. Yes, something or several things will drop because of you taking time to address your need to de-stress. But if we don't step away every day to give ourselves the opportunity to replenish and heal, then our health won't last too long with the load we choose to carry.

Say this aloud, "I am worthy of my time!" Yes, you are. Now, stand in front of a mirror and say to yourself ten times aloud "I am worthy of my time." Do this every day. It can help change your perspective on making time for stress reduction.

The second step is to see what is one thing that has worked best for you to address your stress? Walking? Deep breathing? Gardening? Jogging? Swimming? Reading? Tamarkoz meditation? All of them? For now, choose one thing. Once you've re-introduced the activity in your daily life, then you can build on another.

Third step is to make it happen with the following:

1. Plan ahead. What time of the day or night works best for you to do what you need? Set aside at least 15 minutes for it. Make it manageable so you commit to it every day.
2. Set boundaries. Even with yourself. If you have planned a set time, then try not to let other tasks to take that time away from you.
3. With consistency, you'll notice the daily 15 minutes of replenishment will expand to more time throughout your day.

There is freedom in discipline. When you can see what you need to reduce your stress, understand that you are worthy of your own time, plan how you will partake in the stress reduction practice, and consistently make boundaries to protect your time and your energy for it, then you'll experience some of this freedom.

Keep in mind that meditation is an imperative part of one's daily regimen. You can easily develop one with guidance through the Tamarkoz App. You'll be taught deep breathing techniques and stretches to use anytime throughout your day and may take up just a few minutes. If you already have a Tamarkoz routine, try to never give up your practice time, because it's a sacred time to nourish your spirituality, your innermost cherished self. It strengthens your stability, which helps to turn reactivity to responsiveness. Meditation builds resilience. Not just to survive challenging circumstances, but to develop psychological elasticity to bounce back from challenges and keep one's balance.

You're worth your time and effort to regain your balance.