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I’m at a meeting in the local community hall. A circle of tired-looking women sit facing one another; our group leader is standing in front of a flip chart. “Anniki, you go next,” she says. I stand up slowly, butterflies in my stomach. “Hello, I am Anniki and I’m exhausted,” I announce to the room.

The women clap but not with much enthusiasm. I look at the flip chart with the words “EXHAUSTED” and “ANONYMOUS” writ large in black marker. I sit back down. I’m in a safe space.

We all get busy, especially in the run up to Christmas and New Year, and it’s easy to push aside and neglect our self-care, relaxation and important de-stressing down time. It leaves you feeling almost guilty, doesn’t it, to take some me time when you’ve got last minute gifts to buy, finishing touches to put on your Christmas table setting and those extra chores or errands are piling up on your to-do list – but Dr Rangan Chatterjee, a physician and leading holistic health expert, has reminded us just how important scheduling in this personal down time really is.