Scheduling ‘Self Care’ into your day benefits include your ability to sleep better, less fatigue, depression and anxiety, greater resistance to sickness, and less tension.
Who Doesn’t Want That?
Yet day in and day out we lose ourselves among the ever demanding things life entails. One can only go so long until chaos and crisis set in. Just the other day I wrote a post in my Facebook group Marilyn’s Way.
I have had two screwy days in a row. Hoping for a better tomorrow. On my way to work.
This screams I am forgetting about ‘Self Care’. I been so busy trying to get ahead that in the end it has put me behind and unsatisfied. Something always seems to come up and I don’t get to working on it. Could it be that I am not getting any ‘Self Care’ built into my day? The answer is ‘YES’! But I have so much to do!
When you begin to play the game ‘Yes, but…’ with yourself a bell should go off. It is one of the best indicators that you haven’t been including ‘Self Care’ into your day. I can hear you say, ‘Yes, but…’ now and it solves nothing. How do you get around it?
Understand The Importance Of ‘Self Care’
Yes! ‘Self Care’ is important! Keep this in mind when you don’t think you have any time to schedule some ‘Self Care’ into your day.
Give some thought to the phrase. It really is a true statement. Many of us deal with poor sleeping habits. This leads to fatigue, depression and anxiety. Soon you lose any sense of yourself. The only way back to finding you is scheduling ‘Self Care’.
- Start Small– There are many things you can do that are classified as ‘Self Care’ and you don’t have to break the bank doing it. This would entail things like finding bath and shower gels with a scent that speaks to you. I have been a fan of Bath and Body Works for years. Sign up for their email and you will be surprised the specials they have throughout the year. I may never make it to Hawaii but I do have some lotion and body spray that speaks tropical. Honolulu Sun by Bath and Body Works is one of my favorites. It takes me away to sunshine and breezes with the ocean waves sounding in the background.
- Find Some ‘Self Care’ Activities That Are 10 Minutes or Less-Give yourself a facial mask. There are many that are affordable. Doing something like this makes you sit down with yourself and be quiet. Don’t think of all the things you need to do. Instead, just be. Feel your face tighten up and the mask does its job. Get yourself an adult coloring book and don’t forget the coloring pencils . Get yourself a cup of your favorite beverage and spend 10 minutes coloring staying focused on the drawing you are coloring. Make this a daily ‘me time’ ritual and soon you will have your masterpiece. Sit down with a journal to help you slow down and learn some neat things about yourself. Get back to basics and uncover the things you have always loved and start doing them.
- Unplug- That’s right. Unplug from all of your electronics and spend some time with yourself. Even electronics need to be re booted. Be in the present moment with yourself.
- Get Physical-I am not talking about heading to the gym and working out for two hours. It is more like putting on your jacket and walking around the block. This can be such a refreshing, loving thing you can do for yourself when it comes to ‘me time’. While you are at it, don’t wear your sunglasses. Instead take in some Vitamin D. It is great for so many things one being depression.
- Stay In Check With Your Emotional Well Being-Emotional health is crucial to your healthy lifestyle and four habits can get you there. Prioritize Sleep. It plays a big role in your physical and emotional health. In fact, getting enough shut-eye can lead to a boost in your memory, help you learn more effectively and increase happiness, productivity and confidence. So, how much is enough? According to the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, most adults need seven to eight hours a night. To help your sleep habits, try to stick to a schedule, minimize naps and caffeine, avoid big evening meals, stay away from electronic devices at night and do something relaxing before bedtime. Practice Meditation. Meditation can help give you clarity and control over your emotions. By taking control of our breath, we can take over our stress, sadness and happiness. All of this leads to a healthier mindset. According to National Institute of Mental Health researcher Esther Sternberg, the slow, deep breathing practiced during meditation can hinder the body’s production of stress hormones and stimulate relaxation. Meditation pays off in the forms of improved alertness, concentration and relief from symptoms of anxiety and depression. And it may help with managing anger and improving patience – a great start to enhancing your well-being! The great part is there are now apps that have 5 minute meditation which is a favorite of mine. Practice Gratitude. Life can be filled with its stress. Learning to let go of the negative and feeling grateful about the good things is a conscious choice we make every day to improve our overall happiness. People who feel grateful have better social and psychological health than those who do not. Not great at feeling grateful? It takes practice and some of the ways to help you are making a list of your favorite activities and people you love, or taking some quiet time for reflection of all the nice things that happened during the day. Invest in Relationships. For most people, social health is closely intertwined with emotional health. Make a habit of creating healthy relationships by investing time in their upkeep. Regularly talking with a few close, trusted friends about your life and your worries can help reduce stress and cultivate feelings of connection. The friends you can’t see as often, make time by writing regular emails or making phone calls. Accountability and Support. On the days when everything is going as planned and you feel happy, it’s simple to maintain healthy habits. On bad days, it is the hardest thing in the world. And that’s where Marilyn’s Way closed Facebook group comes into play. Recognizing that you don’t have to go it alone is a big step in keeping up habits over time. The foundation of Marilyn’s system is based on 9 Daily Home Keeping Habits Made SIMPLE. Getting support when it comes to taking care of your home is half the battle. Choosing to meditate for 5 minutes does wonders. Create a gratitude list and share with members. Building better emotional health takes time, but your future self will thank your present self for making the effort.
- Psychological- When it comes to staying healthy, people talk a lot about diet, exercise and sleep. But should ‘self care’ be part of the conversation as well? Maybe it is time to learn something new. Try starting a gratitude journal and find yourself. Too many times we are focused only on our families well being and not our own. Yet over and over experts say we need to take time for ‘self care’ if we want to be the best to our family. Go to a movie by yourself. The family will survive without you. It is a great getaway. Or maybe you don’t like the way your laundry is set up. It seems that you are always behind. You can actually build some ‘self care’ in and around it. Think about the flow of how the dirty clothes get to your laundry room and the steps it takes to put them away when clean and folded. How about each family member has their own laundry basket and they are responsible for putting their clothes away. Get creative and look for ways to make things simple for you. This will allow ‘self care’ and we all need it.
- Become Spiritual- Part of our being is spiritual and many times acknowledging this part of us falls by the wayside. I am not talking about organized religion. I am talking about taking time out to go for a walk and be with nature. Or after working all day, allow yourself 30 minutes just to be with your spiritual self. If you need help in this area there are books you read one page a day like A Year of Miracles by Marianne Williamson.
I hope this gives you a better sense of ‘self care’. It has to be a conscious effort and when you aren’t doing it you will have two screwy days like I have had. Today I have gotten back into balance and it really didn’t take much to spend some ‘me time’ with myself.
What ways do you spend with ‘Self Care’? I would love to know!
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