Candles, matches, camp-fires. What do these things have in common? They burn out. Stress and feeling overwhelmed can extinguish your motivation so it’s important to take care of yourself. Or your flame will burn out too.
So, what is self-care?
It’s the process of enhancing your energy, restoring your health and reducing the daily stresses of life. Connotations around self-
care can be negative as some people assume that sharing their problems will only burden others, or that self-care is selfish. This is not true. There are many things you can do to ensure the longevity of your sanity, and it’s different for everyone.
For example, golf… those who are into it may find it incredibly relaxing to just enjoy their time in an open field, trying not to take anyone out with a round white missile!
Here’s what we can do to implement self-care into our lives:
1. Participate in relaxing activities
Find an activity you enjoy and feel relaxed in to reduce stress and improve your overall happiness. Colouring-in is considered an incredibly therapeutic activity! As is meditation and yoga. There are also apps with meditation tips available on your phone including:
- Calm
- Smiling mind
- Headspace
2. Maintain friendships and social connections
If you’re an introvert, this one may be a little challenging and may or may not require you to leave the house. Meeting new people and hanging out with friends can create lifelong memories and improve your overall quality of life! It will also remind you that you always have people around you who care. Plus, it’s super handy for our next tip!
3. Plan things to look forward to
That way you’ll be motivated to get things done quicker and avoid the dreaded snowball at the end. Whether it’s a holiday, camping trip, night out with friends or a games night, it will leave you feeling excited and happy about the future, and help you recharge and relieve stress!
4. Get outside
Exercising and getting out-n-about are great ways to both improve your physical health (because everyone wants to look like Kate Hudson or Vin Diesel, right?), and mental health. There’s no doubt that exercising releases hormones into your body which improve your mood! For a bonus, listen to music while being active. It will distract you from stress and leave you with a positive mindset.
5. Eat nutritiously
Said no one ever. But seriously, rather than chomping down on sugary foods or drinking large amounts of caffeine during stressful times (which can cause short spurts of energy but crash just as quickly) ensure you get essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals into your body to improve physical and mental well-being. It certainly isn’t easy, but I promise you’ll feel better for it!
6. Maintain positive thoughts
If you think positively, you can never have a bad day. No matter how the day goes, if you think of everything in a positive light it is difficult to say you ever have bad days. You can have bad moments sure, but if you get in the mindset of “oh that’s not a good mark, but at least I know how to improve for the next one,” then it will be easier to deal with hardships when they come, and it will seem like there are less of them too.
7. Get plenty of ‘me time’
Allow at least 15 minutes a day to just relax and destress. It is important to try and make self-care a habit and routine, rather than just occasionally treating yourself for quick fixes when you feel stressed.
Click here for more fulfilling ideas on how to practice self-care!
