There is no reason busy people cannot have dogs. In fact, more than anything or anyone else, they are the ones who need companions the most. You might think to yourself, “How can I have time to spend time with my dog if I can’t even have time to relax?” You’re probably right. It might not make sense to have a dog in your life right now.
But if you are the type of person who calms down and relaxes well when there’s a dog in your house, then do this for your own sanity. Busy or not, you can spend as much time as you want with your dog.
Eliminate Unnecessary Wastage of Time
Why are you so busy, in the first place? Of course, work and family are always present in your life. But are you wasting your time on unnecessary things? The most common example of time wastage is doing things on your own at home when it is actually more practical and economical to let others do it for you. For example, doing your laundry every week at home might be a waste of time rather than take it to the laundromat and pay someone there to fold the laundry for you.
You need to remove unnecessary things from your life. These are the things that take most of your time when they shouldn’t in the first place. Instead of spending your time on these things, it would be better to spend it relaxing with your dog.
Prepare Meals in Advance
Do you know what’s another waste of time? Preparing meals both for you and the dog. It takes so much of your time to prepare dinner and wash the dishes after. Why not spend a weekend preparing what you will eat for the week? This way, you only need to pop them in the oven for a reheat. The same goes for your dogs. In New Zealand, you may buy raw dog food that you can heat on the stove while you’re having dinner. It’s a waste of time to prepare healthy meals for your dog. Just buy what’s readily available.
Walk With the Dog
You need to get more exercise in your daily routine. Take your dog for long and leisurely walks. They love walking and hiking while it’s beneficial for your health. Stop procrastinating about taking care of yourself more. This is a form of exercise that you can do with your dogs. Find a little hill where you can hike every weekend. Sitting on top of that hill will be good for your mental health, too.
Take Your Dog to Work
Find out if your company has a take-your-dog-to-work day. If there is, advocate for that day to be every week. Why should it be just once a week or once every three months? If your dog is behave enough, you should be able to take it to work with you. Just put a large pillow under your table and let your furry friend rest its head on your toes.
Run Errands Together
Life is filled with errands. Whether it’s going to the grocery or the bank or the mall, take the dog with you. Most establishments will allow them inside anyway, so might as well take advantage of being in a dog-friendly country or state. In many parts of the world, dogs are not allowed inside restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, and other indoor establishments. If you are lucky enough to live in a city that welcomes them in these establishments, take advantage of that.
Take a Vacation Together
Who said that only you should take a vacation? Your dog is as stressed as you. Find a vacation spot that will allow both you and the dog. What do you both want? Do you like taking long hikes? How about the sea? Do you love spending time in the water? If you love the water, why not go surfing or kayaking or stay in a lake house? Make sure that both of you have something nice to do on this vacation. If you want to relax, so does your dog.
Spending time with your dog will lead to improved health, both physical and emotional. You will notice you have a better mood when you spend time with your dog. That will have such a huge impact on your life and the way you communicate with others. Dogs don’t only have the power to uplift your mood, but they also have the power to make you a more compassionate human being.
