Taking time to care for yourself isn’t selfish. It helps you show up fully for others in your life. Self-care can prevent burnout, reduce the negative effects of stress, promote a healthy work-life balance and help you refocus. Forget the images you may have seen on social media and think about what self-care means to you. It can be helpful to start by identifying a list of what is most important in your life. Then, ask yourself how you would ideally show up for those important things and what you need to do to feel that way.
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Here are a few ideas to help you get started. Remember, self-care is all about finding something that helps you recharge:
- Take a 10-minute walk
- Disconnect from your phone for 30 minutes
- Read a book
- Spend time with people you care about
- Try a new fitness class
- Cook a healthy meal for yourself
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Prioritizing time to do the things for yourself will not only make you happy and keep you sane, but it will probably also make you more efficient when tackling the less fun aspects of your schedule and to-do lists. The personal benefits of solitude are many. Taking time for yourself gives your brain a chance to reboot, improves concentration, increases productivity, helps you discover (or rediscover) your own voice, gives you a chance to think deeply, and helps you problem solve more effectively. It also gives you a better sense of balance and self-awareness that can lead to a better understanding of yourself–what drives you, what inspires you, what excites you. This, in turn, can have a positive effect not only on the quality of your relationship with yourself, but also on the quality of your relationships with others.
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
What are some things you’re doing now that can be consolidated or eliminated? Is there anything that can be postponed? What can be delegated? Maybe it’s true that you can do things better than everyone else, but in most schedules, there are some things that don’t need to be done better; they just need to be done. By delegating those tasks, you can free up some time for yourself, which may be much more productive in the long run than doing everything yourself. Another important point to remember is that you don’t have to come up with hours and hours of alone time. Just start off small and see what happens. For me this could be a very precious moment with my favorite cup of coffe, baking Christmas biscuits, reading the last issue of Bella Grace Magazine or just staring at the Christmas lights in my dining room.
Photo: Zen
Spending time with yourself is time well spent because it makes you a happier person to be around.
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