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Since the start of this year, I haven't worked Mondays. I used to have lectures for my master's all day on a Monday, but since I dropped one of my modules, I have the afternoon free - and while it's the Easter holidays, I have the whole day free.

And I've found that time alone really beneficial in terms of keeping myself on an even keel. Monday is my "taking care of me" day. I find it a little hard to put my own needs first when I'm with other people, and very hard to really feel my emotions when I'm not alone - even if the other person there is someone I'm very close to, like my partner.

I didn't get "my Monday" a couple of weeks ago because it was a bank holiday, so my partner was home, and I really noticed the impact. Now she's probably going on sick leave for a week (she has bipolar disorder) which means I won't get next Monday to myself either.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has any ideas for how else I can get that time and space to myself? Typing this, I'm realising I need to talk to her about it...

If she is at home, is there a room you can go to to be by yourself for a while? For instance, my H has a room that's like his office/den. He has his desk in there and TV. He plays guitar in there and unwinds. It's HIS room. I, on the other hand, have my computer in the living room and that's become MY space. We have our time away from each other.

Can you carve out a place that is yours alone? Do you have room for that in your house?

Other than that, maybe while she's home can you go somewhere like maybe a coffee-bar to sit and read or write? You wouldn't be perfectly alone, but in a way it could be your space.

Thanks, BG. The study is nominally "mine" as my PC is in there. We had a talk last night and I explained that Mondays are my "taking care of me" day, so I'll need some time and space to myself, and she was OK with that.

This is largely my stuff, I think. It's not that my partner doesn't understand or is opposed to me having my own space (though she can get a bit clingy sometimes). It's more that I need to give myself permission to take care of my own needs, especially when I'm physically in others' presence.