Put Your Needs First and Watch Your World Transform

You know that pit-of-your-stomach feeling when you skip lunch to answer one more email or you cancel a gym date because “work is pressing”? That’s your own needs begging for attention. I might be wrong, but you’ve probably told yourself you’re ‘too busy’ to care for yourself.

Meet Jason, an overworked engineer who hadn’t seen his guitar in six months. On a friend’s dare, he locked out his work email from 6–7 p.m. Tuesdays and picked up his favorite instrument. The first night he felt rusty, but after a week he remembered why he loved playing—it was pure joy. His stress eased, he slept deeper, and his “off” hours felt truly off.

Behavioral science calls this self-prioritization. Psychologist Abraham Maslow placed self-actualization at life’s peak: you can’t fully realize your potential without meeting your basic needs. When you consciously block time for yourself, you refill your cup—energy that flows back into relationships, work, and creativity. Give it a try; science says it works.

Decide on a need you’ve been ignoring and treat it as sacred—scan your week, block that time, and guard it fiercely. When distraction knocks, repeat to yourself that this hour fuels your effectiveness, not just your happiness. You’ll watch burnout fade and energy return as you honor the simple truth: you matter. Try it this week before anything else.