Enough. Enough. Enough.

Golda Meir, the only female prime minister of Israel, once confessed, "If you knew how often I said to myself: to hell with everything, to hell with everybody, I've done my share, let the others do theirs now, enough, enough, enough." I have shared this very sentiment more than I would ever admit.

With school starting and schedules changing, it is imperative we decide TODAY to make personal time-outs non-negotiable parts of our schedules. When we neglect ourselves, we are frittered away by the incessant demands of home, family, work, holidays…LIFE…and what is left of us is never good enough for anyone around, much less ourselves. We become rundown, broken, and burned out.

In some of the writing books I started reading, each admonishes this "time out" concept as a mandatory indulgence. Read: INDULGENCE, not diligence or duty, so exercise and working do not count. And no excuses fly here so never mind whining, "I have no time, no money, nowhere to go." Rubbish — every single one. Start with reserving time each week as your hour of solitude. And if you are perplexed, a list just for you…

Visit an acupuncturist

Walk through an art museum

Watch the sunrise

Have a massage and a manicure

Take a long solitary walk…okay, you can bring the dog.

Attend a local lecture in your community

Find an old movie you once loved and watch it

Pursue a hobby

Buy or download a new album, and listen to it uninterrupted

Soak in a bubble bath

Take a nap

Wander around a bookstore

Find a holiday bazaar or market and get lost

Visit your local library or college, find a nook, and read a book

Go for a long drive

Above all else, remember that chaos, if not managed, will leave us disconnected. Julia Cameron believes, "Survival lies in sanity, and sanity lies in paying attention." Give yourself permission and time to check out each week — refuel, refill, and recover the best of you.