June 21, 2021
What is Self-Care?
Self-care can be defined as the active role someone takes to establish and maintain good physical and emotional health, especially during times of stress. This important part of your overall health is more than just a trend and can come to life in different ways. Because self-care is such an individualized topic, there is no right or wrong way to practice self-care. No act or routine is too small, and the best part is, you don’t need to overhaul your entire life to be more intentional about self-care. If you’re in need of a few ideas, we’re sharing a few simple ways you can practice self-care after a busy week.
How to Practice Self-Care
1. Don’t Look at Your Phone as Soon as You Wake Up
While many of us use the alarms on our cell phone to help wake us up, it might not be the best way to start your day. After you turn off your alarm, put your phone down for the first hour of your day. This allows you uninterrupted time to spend your morning however you would like.
When you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up, you end up scrolling through social media feeds, reading text messages or even checking personal or work-related email accounts. Taking in all this information first thing in the morning may leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed even before your day has really begun! With this uninterrupted time, try working out, tidying up, or even sip a cup of coffee outside.
KEEP READING: How to Do a Digital Detox
2. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin
You’ve likely heard this before, but the idea of not spreading yourself too thin has merit, and here’s why. Think of all the times you’ve said “yes” when really you wanted to just say “no thanks.” Whether it’s committing to weekend plans when you wanted to spend a night on the couch or scheduling another workout class when your body is telling you it needs a rest day, it is 100 percent okay to take a rain-check on extra commitments. When you’re spread too thin, you can feel stressed, irritable, burned out and just plain ol’ tired. Instead, try to think of everything that must be accomplished within a certain time frame and what can be moved to another day or even next week. Prioritizing tasks and commitments can help you manage stress. Include time to decompress and relax as something that must get done. You’ll be better for it.
KEEP READING: Physical Health Benefits of Meditation
3. Laugh a Little
Ever hear that laughter is the best medicine? Well, it’s no joke. Laughter can ease the stress you may be feeling in addition to triggering the release of endorphins. If you’re drawing a blank on what exactly endorphins can do for you, we’ve got it covered. These neurochemicals help to minimize pain (like physical discomfort or even stress and anxiety) and increase pleasure – which help you feel better, overall.1 While the jury is out on how exactly laughter can aid your physical health, we know that it can’t hurt. Go ahead, watch that funny movie that you’ve seen a million times. We won’t judge.
4. Do What Makes You Feel Content
As mentioned before, self-care is an individualized topic. What works for you is likely going to be different than what works for a friend or a relative. Some people unwind by cooking (if that sounds like you, here are some meatless meal recipes that you might enjoy trying), but others may practice self-care by prioritizing workouts. There is no right or wrong way to practice self-care. The key is finding what brings you peace after a long, busy week, and doing that.
The next time you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and just not yourself, remember it’s okay. By practicing a few of these simple self-care strategies, you’ll be on your way to a calm and collected version of yourself.
References:
1 Biochemistry, Endorphin. Last updated April 8, 2021. Accessed June 11, 2021.