Unsuspecting Self-Care Ideals to Leave you Newly Refreshed and Productive
Self-care has become somewhat of a trendy new thing, and for good reason. For far too long, we have been running ourselves into the ground, striving and ceasing like we’re running some race with no finish line. It is important to note that self-care doesn’t look the same for everyone, but there are certain points that I will make that I think may be contrary to what you would typically consider self-care requirements. I think you’ll agree, though, that your self-care practice will be more intentional and yield life-giving results.
Self-care can be social, spiritual, mental, physical, or emotional. Examples of each type of self care are listed below:
Mental - Make time for mental stimulation (education, books, etc.), do something you’re good at, talk it out.
Social - Face to face time with friends, date nights, nurturing relationships.
Emotional - Recharging activities, processing emotions in healthy ways - therapy, etc.
Physical - Sleep, health, nutrition, exercise.
Spiritual - Spiritual practices like prayer, meditation. Journaling and self-seeking questions.
It’s super important to take time to yourself, get a massage, go see a movie, read a book, or even take a nap! Engage in fun and thrilling activities that add value to your life and give you the chance to recharge. I find that when I put a little more into myself it’s easier to be present with my family and friends. I carve out a little bit of time every week, and really, every day to devote intentional time to myself. It can be as easy as a 5 minute meditation to refocus, or as involved as a day trip to the spa. As a business owner, I have a few ideals for my self care days, and I think they would apply to anyone seeking to carve out a little bit of “me time” as well.
Unplug. It can be hard to restore your energy when you’re allowing something else to vi for your attention. If you’re on social media for your own “enjoyment",” and someone messages you regarding business, it’s no longer “you” time, especially if you reply. Be on guard of things trying to steal your time and energy.
Set Boundaries. I time block in my business in general, and my clients all know that at certain times I won’t respond timely. If I take a self-care day or block of time and I respond to business inquiries, I’m not actually taking dedicated time to myself. That’s multitasking, and it doesn’t help shift the focus to restoration. This applies in the corporate world as well - always be on guard for corporate burnout and overworking. Sometimes it’s not worth the haste.
Know the line between professional development and personal development. Taking a business trip isn’t a vacation, even if there are pockets of time for you to dedicate to yourself. You don’t always have to be listening to a podcast in your idle time. You can recharge with some music or quiet in the car with your own thoughts and silence the noise. When aiming for real time to recharge, double-timing a work function as “you” time, even if it’s fun, can actually suck more energy and leave less of a restorative result.
Whatever you decide to do for self care, when you’re doing it, don’t let distractions in. Focus on being the healthiest and happiest person you can be. Being fully present with yourself makes you better able to be fully present in your daily life with others.
Feeling bogged down can be tiring mentally and emotionally, and can even manifest physically. It’s important to take personal time, and when you do it, I hope you’ll do it with intention and find true self restoration.