November 18th to 24th is Self-Care Week
What is self-care?
Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we very often overlook.
Good self-care is key to an improved mood and reduced anxiety. It’s also important to having a good relationship with oneself and others.
Self-care isn’t a selfish act. It is not only about considering our needs, but is about knowing what we need to do to take care of ourselves, and subsequently able to take care of others as well.
In other words, self-care is the key to living a balanced life
That is, if I don’t take enough care of myself, I won’t be in the place to give to my loved ones either.
Some Ideas for Self-Care
Make sleep part of your self-care routine.
Sleep can have a huge effect on how you feel both emotionally and physically. Not getting enough can even cause major health issues and stress and other and other distractions can wreak havoc on our sleep
Take care of yourself by taking care of your gut.
Your gut health can have a significant impact on your health, well-being, and feelings of vitality.
Exercise daily as part of your self-care routine.
We all know exercise is good for us, but do we really know how good it is? Daily exercise can help you both physically and mentally. It can boost your mood and reduce stress and anxiety not to mention helping you shed extra weight which can help our self-esteem and energy levels.
Eat right for self-care.
The food we eat has the potential to either keep us healthy or contribute to weight gain and diseases such as diabetes. and also keep our minds working and alert.
Say no to others and say yes to your self-care.
Learning to say no is hard. Many of us feel obligated to say yes when someone asks for our time or energy. However, if you’re already stressed or overworked, saying yes to loved ones or coworkers can lead to burn-out anxiety, and irritability.
Take a self-care break by getting outside.
Spending time outside can help you reduce stress, lower your blood pressure, and be more mindful. Studies have even shown that getting outside can help reduce fatigue, making it a great way to overcome symptoms of depression or burnout. Getting outside can also help you sleep better at night, especially if you do some physical activity, like gardening, hiking, or walking while you are outside.
Let a pet help you with your self -care. I love this one!
Pets can bring a boost to our lives. From giving unconditional love to providing companionship, pets can be hugely beneficial for our self-care.
Take care of yourself by getting organized.
Getting organized is often the first step to becoming healthier and it allows you to figure out exactly what you need to do to take better care of yourself.
Read a book.
Rather than turning to technology, read a book, you may be amazed at the difference on your mood when you read a book rather than scrolling through a mobile or laptop. It also will potentially slow you down.
Schedule your self-care time, and guard that time with everything you have.
It can be hard for us all to find extra time. But it’s extremely important to plan regular self-care time. Moments alone can help you to ponder the best ways to move forward in your life and keep you grounded. Moments with friends can help you feel more connected and relaxed.
