I know you have heard of self care but what does it really mean? Is it something you fit in when you have a few extra minutes? Is it showering in the morning and brushing your teeth?
Self care is any action that helps you to avoid triggering health problems and helps you to improve your mental and physical health with less stress and more overall wellbeing.
Self care is what keeps us healthy, happy and in tune with our body and mind.
So my question is…are you taking care of yourself?
The answer I hear from most people is “not enough!”
The reasons?
- It’s too hard to make healthy changes
- I don’t have enough time
- I’m too tired to worry about myself after I get done helping everyone else
- I feel guilty when I take “me” time
You have to get rid of those reasons…or rather “excuses” because they are not benefiting you and they are WRONG.
It doesn’t have to be too hard….just make one small change at a time. Don’t change your whole routine in a day.
Schedule in your time like you would any other important meeting.
You will actually have more energy when you rejuvenate yourself and take care of yourself in the long run.
No Guilt Allowed! Taking care of YOU is imperative to you being able to give of yourself to others.
Here are 9 ways to put more self care into your life:
- Spend time outdoors. Research has shown that being outside in nature makes us feel more alive. So whether it is an evening or early morning walk, sitting in your garden reading or just enjoying dinner on the patio, this is a great way to de-stress.
- Focus on the moment. We spend too much time thinking about what happened already or may happen in the future that we miss the current moment. Staying present will help you to cut down on stress and see things as they are happening.
- Dance. Music is a great mood lifter and moving your body to the beat of the music is both a great workout and a way to be happy and present in the moment.
- Read a good book. Reading on a regular basis keeps the mind sharp as it ages, and reading fiction in particular helps you to be more creative and open minded.
- Laugh. Laughter makes you feel better. Watch a funny movie or a comedy on television—those reruns of Friends are really good for you so go ahead and indulge .
- Get enough sleep. We often don’t get enough rest due to our life. Late nights working, time out with friends or just a Netflix movie binge can all cause us to sleep less. The problem is, lack of sleep can hurt our productivity at work, make us eat more food, and actually could cause us to get sick.
- Cuddle. Physical contact reduces stress and boosts happiness. So go ahead and grab your partner or even your pet and have some cuddle time!
- Unplug. I’m sure if you are like me you are glued to a phone, laptop, or both at the same time. Deliberately take a break from your electronic devices whenever you can to recharge your OWN batteries.
- Go Away. Do you know that most people don’t take their vacation time? They work and work and work and vacation just never comes. It’s important to book a getaway, even if just for a couple of days to recharge, refocus and boost your creativity. You deserve a break!
I hope you enjoyed these tips and that they sparked some more ideas of your own. Now stop reading this blog and go take care of yourself!
