It’s been weeks and weeks of quarantine life and self-care couldn’t be needed more than now. With all of this extra time, it’s easy to use it on the kids, work, deep cleaning the refrigerator, and… stress. I’d like to get straight to the point and offer 5 mindful ways on how you can take the time to take care of yourself.
REFLECT –
We are all in the midst of a lifestyle change. Embrace this change and focus on improvement. Take time to congratulate yourself on the improvement you have already made in your life. Acknowledging your achievements, even the smallest ones, will give you confidence to tackle the next steps to creating healthy habits and meeting new goals. Daily affirmations are one of the best ways to give yourself a boost of encouragement and motivation.
BOUNDARIES –
It is so important to set boundaries for yourself when it comes to how much responsibility you should be taking on. Even if you are willing to do it all, it doesn’t mean you have to! Saying no to people isn’t a sign of weakness or an act of rudeness, it can be the easiest act self-care you can do. Taking on too much work and too many tasks can add so much unnecessary stress to your day and even your health.
PLAN –
Intentional planning is key for self-care. Mark your calendar and block off specific times of the day/week that you will be dedicating to self-care. It doesn’t have to be an entire day spent on a self spa day (though that may not be a bad idea every so often), even if it’s simply an hour in the evening spent meditating, reflecting or spending time on a hobby. It may feel odd writing down “self-care” on your calendar, but it is the easiest way to not cancel on yourself. Extend a little bit of grace to yourself and create time to take care of yourself.
SUPPORT –
(Virtually) surround yourself with an encouraging support group, whether they be family, friends or a Facebook group. Share your goals with those closest to you to make sure you are receiving good vibes and motivation to keep your spirits up. A supportive team can help you grow and encourage you to be your best self, while taking care of yourself.
EXPLORE –
We all have our go-to self-care routine or activity and there’s nothing wrong with defaulting to whatever makes you feel good. To spice things up, why not expand your wheelhouse and explore new outlets or activities to relax, unwind and reset! You may end up discovering a self-care tool to mix things up when you need a change of mental scenery.
Stay healthy. Stay home!
Kindly~Michelle
