Taking Good Care of Yourself

Self-care, which includes nutrition, stress reduction, and exercise, helps keep a person happy, healthy, and resilient.

Me-time is usually last on the agenda for most people, largely due to technology and job stress.

Things like taking a trip or simply getting outside can contribute to lowering one's stress level and increasing life satisfaction.

It’s so important to make sure you take good care of your body, mind, and soul every day, not just when you get sick. Learning how to eat right, reduce stress, exercise regularly, and take a time-out when you need it are touchstones of self-care and can help you stay healthy, happy, and resilient.

Practicing self-care isn’t always easy. Most of us are crazy busy, have stressful jobs, or are too consumed with technology to make time for ourselves. Me-time is usually last on the agenda. Worse, we can sometimes feel guilty about taking the time required to take care of ourselves. So getting started with self-care can be challenging.

Let’s get one thing clear: self-care is not selfish. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Self-care has a range of health benefits, including boosting your immune system and energy levels.

It also strengthens your emotional health, reduces the risk of burnout, and makes you more resilient in the face of setbacks.

This means that when you start taking care of yourself, you’re better able to take care of others. You can also give the best of yourself in any situation at work or in any other area of your life.

Therefore, self-care isn’t a luxury or a nice-to-have. It’s an essential component of a healthy, happy, and successful life.

Sleep can have a huge effect on how you feel both emotionally and physically. Not getting enough can even cause major health issues. But stress and other distractions can wreak havoc on our sleep.

What do you do to make sleep part of a self-care routine? Start by thinking about your nightly routine. Are you eating or drinking immediately before bed? If so, it's especially important to stay away from caffeine and sugar, which tend to keep you awake.

Reducing stress is also key. If you have work-related stress, think about the best ways to calm yourself after a hard day or relax more while on the job. You might talk to your employer about lessening your workload or settle a disagreement with a coworker.

Next, make sure your bedroom is the best possible place for you to get good REM sleep. It should be free of distractions (such as a television, laptop, cellphone, etc.). And make sure you have room-darkening curtains to keep the sun from waking you up too early in the mornings.

Gratitude means acknowledging and being thankful for the things you have. It’s a positive emotion, and expressing gratitude has proven mental and physical health benefits.

Start by being present in each moment. Then, recognize the people, moments, and things that bring you joy. If you like, you can keep a gratitude journal that you write in each day. The habit of practicing gratitude can evoke feelings of warmth and kindness — both for yourself and those around you.

Exercise is a key element of physical health, but did you know it’s essential for mental wellness too? Regular physical activity reduces stress and anxiety, boosts cognitive function, and improves mood.

If the thought of running miles on a treadmill isn’t appealing, take time to come up with other ways to get moving. You can pick anything that is more appealing to you or you can explore and try a new activity. For example, you might consider signing up for a dance class or a recreational sports team. Exercising in ways you enjoy can hopefully make moving your body feel more pleasurable from the outset, and not a chore.

Set time aside for your self-care activities, and try not to let other obligations constantly interfere. It's sometimes very easy for self-care time to go by the weigh side because it feels like there are so many other priorities to tackle such as family, work or school obligations. Scheduling self-care time and activities not only makes it easier to do but can serve as a reminder that it is also a priority for your overall health and wellbeing. Taking care of yourself will hopefully allow you to actually better tackle all your responsibilities.

Whether it’s a few minutes every day or more time once a week, putting self-care on your schedule will remind you that it's important and help establish self-care as a healthy routine.

Stress is something everyone faces from time to time, whether it’s at work, at school, or at home. Finding ways to manage your stress level and to prevent stress from spiraling can certainly be considered an act of self-care. While some stress in life is sometimes helpful and even necessary, developing the skills of self care to prevent heightened levels of stress can help clear your mind so you can feel your best.

Generally speaking, practicing self-care regularly can really help manage your stress levels and may make it easier for you to navigate stressful situations when they come up in your life. However, self care primarily falls under the category of healthy coping and lifestyle skills. It is also important to be aware and to realize when self care just may not be enough. In life situations where the stress is simply too high, sometimes even leading to feelings of anxiety and depression, it may be time to seek professional help. Therapy, in combination with a healthy lifestyle, can then help you reduce your stress levels and regain a sense of confidence to then navigate your life more to your liking.

We often treat not only everyone else but our pets and even our car better then ourselves.

Take the challenge to be kind to yourself. Drop the judgments, silence the inner critic, get out of your comfort zone and become your compassionate coach and supportive cheerleader.

To put this in practice, end the day with noticing at least one thing you did well today (i.e. you remembered your friend’s birthday; you showed up on time; you took one thing off your to do list; you added some steps to your exercise program; you received a thank you from a patient or a colleague).

Stopping self-criticism is a hard habit to give up. Try to replace it by celebrating your success.

Life can sometimes become overwhelming, and all the stuff you usually do to take care of yourself is looked over to make room for all the other things on your calendar. As you become stressed, self-care is usually the first thing to go. It’s easy to believe pushing yourself will pay off, but your abilities will become worn over time.

Some might say it’s cliche and the phrase may sound fluffy and cute, but self-care is crucial to help you function. Self-care can help you keep moving at the speed of life in a couple of ways. Practicing proper habits will keep you from reaching the point of exhaustion, helping you function normally under stress, and refocus to help you perform better.