When life becomes hectic, the first thing we may do is put our self-care on the back burner. While this may work temporarily, it will always find a way to catch up to us.
I don’t know about you, but for me, the pandemic has created new aches and pains in my body. I know it has a lot to do with stress and a recent apartment move, but I think it’s also a wake-up call for me to slow down a little bit and de-stress.
Our minds and our bodies are constantly communicating with us. Learning to take care of ourselves and making ourselves our number one priority is a marathon, not a sprint.
Start with these 5 tips to put your self-care first.
1. Remind Yourself That Making Yourself A Priority Is Not Selfish
Take some time over the next couple of days to think about what it is that you need. Is it time alone? Is it clarity? Does your space need organization? Don’t make things harder than it has to be. When you take the time to ask yourself what you need, you already know the answer many times. The solution is usually relatively straightforward. The challenge is giving yourself what you ultimately need. I know for me, I require a lot of solitude. It’s during quiet moments alone when I do my best writing. When I start feeling overwhelmed, I usually head to the coffee shop, take a time out, brainstorm with music, or explore somewhere new in the city.
2. Ask For Help When You Need It
We all need some extra support sometimes. It’s okay to lean on a friend or family member to vent to when you need to. Often, all we need is a good friend to lend an open ear for us to feel supported. The reassurance can make us feel that we will get through a difficult season and we aren’t alone.
3. Focus on Your Breath
Hailey, a burnout coach from Arizona, suggests emotional freedom techniques (EFT) and breathing techniques.
To-do lists can pile up, and we can easily get consumed with checking things off that we don’t realize every second we are carrying out an essential vital task: breathing!
4. Create a Self-healing Space For Yourself
Take time away from mindlessly scrolling social media, toxic people, and other life circumstances that drain your energy. Instead, focus on activities that bring you joy and make you come alive.
5. Give Yourself Time To Navigate Tough Times
When you’re faced with a challenging time in your life, the last thing you want to do is try to sweep your feelings under the rug. Give yourself time to process what is happening. This can be achieved by journaling, conversing with a loved one, focusing on solutions, or getting professional help. Trying to make the problem disappear or pretending that it doesn’t exist can make a situation escalate. Sometimes the only thing that can take an issue away is time.
Wherever you may find yourself this weekend, take the time to do the things that fill your soul.
Always enjoy reading your posts and look forward to them. Again, great article! Thanks for the great ideas.