When we talk about self care, we must keep in mind physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Since there is so much going on in our lives from work to other responsibilities, we often overlook this rather important aspect. The good news is that taking care of yourself is not as hard as we think it is. All you need to do is make a few healthy changes in your lifestyle, follow them diligently, and before you know it, it will become a habit.
12 Easy Self Care Practices
Make a commitment to look after yourself with these simple practices every day:
1. Sleep Well
Why does this self care practice feature at the top of the list? Well, it is one of the hardest things for most people to do. Work-related stress, distractions of technology, and nutritional deficiencies are common causes of the rampant rise in sleep disorder cases. So, the first step to self care is establishing a good evening routine.
Having a cup of chamomile tea as you reflect upon your day is one of the best ways to unwind. Some physical activity in the evening, like walking, prepares you for a good night’s rest. It is highly recommended that you turn your devices off at least 1 hour before you go to bed so that you are not too overstimulated to sleep. Sleep is necessary for physical, mental, and emotional self care.
Take sleep hygiene measures like going to bed at the same time everyday; sleeping in dark, calm, peaceful, and relaxing surroundings; and switching off devices 1 hr before sleep. However, if you have tried it all and are still unable to get a good sleep cycle going, speaking to an expert is a good idea.
2. Indulge in Some Physical Activity
A workout session or any other physical activity is often motivated by the need to lose weight or look good. While these are all valid reasons, thinking about fitness as a way to enhance the quality of your life gives you a better perspective.
When you work out, you prevent a host of degenerative disorders. The happy hormones that are released every time you break a sweat give you the energy to savor every moment of the day. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment that goes a long way.
3. Eat Right
Self care is not complete unless you give your body the fuel it needs to perform to its best abilities. When your body functions at its best, you feel better. Choosing the right nutrition sources is one of the best ways of taking care of yourself. Of course, this does not mean that you can never indulge. Indulgence is also a way of showing yourself some love. But the key is to strike a balance.
Get in as much fresh produce and natural foods in your diet. Most importantly, change your relationship with food. If you catch yourself eating when you are stressed or bored, you may want to look at other ways to blow off some steam.
4. Learn to Say No
As simple as this sounds, it is one of the hardest things to do. Most often, we put others before us. Sure, it is a great thing to do at times. But if you constantly find yourself drained out or stressed while trying to keep everyone around you happy, it is going to affect you mentally and emotionally.
The most important practice for mental self care is to say yes to yourself as often as you say yes to people around you. You can always turn people down politely by simply explaining why you are unable to do something for them at a given time.
5. Make Time for Hobbies
A hobby is something that sparks our interest and brings us joy. It could be dancing, writing, reading a book, gardening, or just about anything that you love to do. Hobbies are often considered important only in our growing years. But quite contrary to that, it is a great way to keep your mind active and prevent burnout.
If you are unsure of what your hobbies are, it is perfectly fine. Try different things and see what sticks. Better late than never.
6. Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes
Emotional self care begins by acknowledging the fact that you are not perfect. We are so affected by the mistakes that we make or our failures that we forget the things we have actually accomplished.
When you don’t beat yourself about making mistakes, you will grow and evolve. The objective should always be to learn from these mistakes so that they do not happen again. The most important part of self care is forgiving yourself just like you are always willing to forgive others.
7. Be Mindful of How You Talk to Yourself
Self-talk is a very simple, yet a powerful thing which determines how you feel about yourself. We often think about being kind to others – why not be kind to ours? Fixing that negative voice in your head and using it to encourage yourself will help you excel in all walks of life.
The moment you begin to talk to yourself in a positive manner, you will notice that you feel more energized and less afraid of challenges. If it is hard to do in the beginning, try to write down notes of self-love and read them out loud to yourself. Slowly, it will become the norm.
8. Pamper Yourself
Taking care of yourself means pampering yourself often with the things you love. It can be something as simple as drawing a warm bath and soaking yourself in it or could be a vacation that you take on your own. When you take time out to pamper yourself, it shows that you care about yourself.
If you are feeling low, grab a cup of coffee at your favourite cafe, read a book, go out for a drive, or just listen to some uplifting music while you snuggle under a blanket. Remember that you deserve these breaks and are working hard to afford time out for yourself.
9. Go Outdoors
Nature has its way of healing us even through our hardest times. Spending time outdoors is another effective self love practice. When you are overloaded with work, take a walk in the open. We all know that fresh air is good for us – why spend countless hours glued to a screen?
Nature is also the best way to connect with your spiritual side. When you begin to appreciate the wonder that is nature, you will realize that everything that you stress about on a daily basis is quite insignificant. Even if it is not, you feel powerful enough to face anything that comes your way.
10. Ask for Help When You Need It
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Read that again. Whenever you feel overwhelmed emotionally or with your work, look for someone to lend you a hand. The fear of asking for help holds us back from talking to people about things that trouble us.
It makes you feel like you are in this all by yourself. Instead, all you need to do is look for someone that you think can share your burden and just ask for help. When it comes to mental health self care, this is especially important.
11. Try Journaling
We have a way of cluttering our minds with so many thoughts each day. This makes it harder to practice any form of self care. When you are constantly being bombarded with information, it is only natural for you to feel too exhausted to take some time off for yourself.
Journaling is a way to organize these thoughts and prioritize them. You can write down everything from the way you feel and your goals to the food that you ate that day. This keeps you on track with your self care routine and helps you eliminate all the snags.
12. Being Alone is Not All Bad
Spending time with yourself is the best form of self care. It is very important for all of us to be comfortable in our own company. Even if it means a few minutes of meditation or sitting out on the balcony by yourself, do it diligently.
Keep distractions like your phone away and try to indulge in yourself entirely. This is a great practice to become more aware of yourself and what you need to become the best version of yourself. This exercise will definitely make you stronger and boost your confidence.
Conclusion
Self care needs effort, no doubt. But when you see the results, you cannot help but make it a habit. When you begin to think clearly, talk positively to yourself, and perform with the best of your abilities, you will realize how important the simple act of taking care of yourself is.
