Self-care may feel like a guilty indulgence, but it’s actually vital to your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It’s a chance to replenish your tank and give your mind and body a much-needed break. That’s why it’s so important to be proactive about it and have some self-care strategies in place.
If you’ve ever found yourself really irritated and snappy at your coworkers or family members, or if you’ve ever felt like your brain couldn't possibly make one more decision or come up with another creative idea, then it’s likely you’ve experienced the signs of burnout. Sadly, many of us wait until we’re already at the burnout stage before we address the issue and take care of ourselves.
Don’t wait until you’re exhausted and completely wrung out to do something about it. What you want to do instead is to see self-care as a preventative measure. By being proactive about self-care and regularly taking time out for yourself, you will feel much more clear-headed and refreshed in your personal and professional life.
Here are some self-care strategies to help you find a meaningful self-care routine and actually make time for yourself.
Self-Care Strategy #1: Block it off in your planner or calendar
In order to actually make time for a self-care activity, it’s important to strategically plan for your day. Otherwise, you’ll be tempted to ignore your own needs to tend to someone else’s.
Even if you’re short on time, you’d be surprised to see how much time you really do have when you plan it out in advance.
Find pockets of time in your schedule. Take a look at your planner and find free chunks of time in your week. Maybe it’s a 15 minute break after lunch. Or a half-hour after the kids go to bed. Or two hours on a Saturday. Block off this time with your highlighter. Now that it’s in your schedule, you can plan the rest of your week around your self-care activities.
Learn to say “no” with scripts. Inevitably, a coworker might want to pick your brain over lunch or a friend or family member will ask you to hangout and get drinks. But it’s important to honor your commitment to yourself. If you have a hard time saying “no,” then have some scripts ready to go. A script gives you a default response and you won’t have to fret over what to say. You can say “I have an appointment at that time” or “I’d love to but I already have plans. Can we reschedule for next week?” And if you’re feeling guilty about saying “no,” remember this: taking time to rest and recharge will make you more present and attentive when you are at work or with your loved ones.
Self-Care Strategy #2: Find a self-care routine that works for you
Self-care can mean different things to different people. For example, some people might consider an hour-long Peloton ride to be a form of self-care, while for others, sweating it out in a grueling workout is the last thing they’d want to do with their free time.
So it’s a good idea to figure out what self-care activities would be the most restorative and pleasurable to you. Like a lot of things in life, you’ll get the most out of a self-care routine and be more likely to stick with it, if the self-care routine is something you’d actually want to do, and not something you think you should do
To figure out a good self-care routine for yourself, it might help to ask yourself some questions, such as:
- When was the last time you felt truly relaxed? What were you doing? How can you replicate that experience in the future?
- What activities did you enjoy doing as a kid? Maybe it was coloring or swimming or walking along the beach and collecting seashells. How can you add some of those activities to your current life?
- What activities help you take your mind off of things? And don’t worry if it sounds mundane or trashy. Some people love switching off by reading gossip magazines while others feel refreshed after writing in their journal or gardening.
- What activities do you not find relaxing at all? Be honest with yourself. If doing yoga or taking a hot bath do not sound relaxing to you, no need to force yourself to do those things.
Self-Care Strategy #3: Have mini versions of your self-care routine
Another self-care strategy is to create 5-10 minute versions of your favorite self-care activities.
In an ideal world, we’d all have an entire evening or weekend to devote to rest and relaxation. But more often than not, we’re tending to some work emergency or personal obligation that requires our time. In those weeks when you don’t have a block of time to spare, don’t abandon your self-care altogether. Instead, do a variation of your self-care activity that you can do in 5 or 10 minutes.
You may not have an entire weekend free, but certainly you can find 5, 10, or even 15 minutes of uninterrupted time in your day. Make the most out of these small chunks of time and do something that will help you quiet your mind and relax.
- Don’t have time for an afternoon hike in the woods? Try walking in a park for 20 minutes.
- Don’t have time for a yoga class? Find a quiet spot and do some gentle stretches for 5 minutes.
- Don’t have time for a spa day? Draw yourself a hot bath and play a soothing playlist, or simply do a face mask at home.
- Don’t have time to do your full meditation routine? Set a timer for 10 minutes, close your eyes, and center yourself.
So the next time you only have a short amount of time to spare, don’t force yourself to keep working. Take a break and do a mini version of your self-care activity. You’ll feel so much better afterward and you’ll feel more energized and productive in the long run.
Written by JiJi Lee