“You have nowhere to be. You have nothing to accomplish.”

Those words really struck a chord with me when I heard them several days ago. Nobody ever says anything like that to me. Instead, people say things like:

“What time is your meeting today?”

“How late do you have to work?”

“What’s the next project on your agenda?”

Those less familiar words were not directed only at me — they were what the instructor told the entire yoga class I was a part of at Restore Yoga and Wellness in St. Clairsville. I have taken several classes there over the past couple of months, and the instructors always have calming, soothing, encouraging messages to share. But it was the idea that I had no other commitments, no pressing business to attend to that got my attention.

Rarely do phrases such as “you have nothing to accomplish” apply to me. I feel like (and I’m sure others do, too) I always have something that needs to be done, whether it is a task for work or a goal at home.

I suppose that is partly due to the fact that my husband, Mike, and I have taken on some really big remodeling projects. That work never seems to end in an older home, not even when a particular project is completed.

In July, however, we took a little “staycation.” We each took several days off from work and stayed mostly at home, working to improve our properties bit by bit. As of the end of that week, our biggest accomplishments were two very similar projects: We installed two new exterior doors to replace old — very old — wooden ones that were not weather tight. Hopefully come winter, we will see those efforts pay off when we receive our monthly natural gas bills.

So, even though I was in an early morning yoga class and knew that we had plans to run errands, shop and put a few finishing touches on the doors we had installed a day or so earlier, that yoga instructor’s words really hit home with me. Lying there on my mat, I actually had nowhere else to be and nothing that had to be accomplished in that particular moment. It felt really good.

I think we all need more of that feeling. Daily life in the 21st century is hectic, and it seems that there are constant demands on our time. Of course we all need to do a good job at work and we have responsibilities to our family members and friends, so some of our time must be given to others. But we need to take time for ourselves as well.

How can we achieve that in this day and age? I guess it depends on who you are and what you enjoy. You don’t have to take a yoga class to get there, but if you decide to I highly recommend any of the sessions at Restore.

Some other methods you might try:

∫ Take a walk, just because. You don’t have to be going someplace or “getting in your steps.” It’s just as pleasant to stroll around your neighborhood, noticing changes and — perhaps more importantly — things that have stayed the same. Mike and I did just that one evening, chatting about who lives where as we went along and reminiscing about where my friends had lived when I was young. We also had the chance to greet a few neighbors who were outdoors and to enjoy a lovely sunset.

∫ Take a drive, for the very same reason. Get out and explore the local region. You don’t have to travel the interstate or rush along to a destination. Instead, just travel at a leisurely pace and see what you see as you go.

∫ Read a newspaper or a book. In this case, I mean an actual newspaper or book. Feel those pages in your hands. See those words in print, and let their meaning sink in. Avoid reading on an electronic device, as the light they emit can be the opposite of relaxing.

∫ Visit a local park, beach or other recreation area and just enjoy your surroundings. Listen to the birds chirp and watch as they fly from branch to branch. Maybe spot a squirrel or a rabbit or a deer and watch what they do. Unless they are startled by you, they probably won’t be in any hurry to do anything special. Maybe you can learn from their example.

I think it was important for me to hear that instructor’s words last month. While I knew I was on vacation, I definitely had an agenda. It wasn’t set in stone, but we had a handyman helping us with some other work we needed to have completed and wanted to be sure we made the most of our time. While that often means getting big projects done, it can also mean taking care of yourself. And sometimes the best way to do that is to do nothing at all.