Although the healthy lifestyle and wellness movement is alive and well, the overall focus of today’s society is working hard for the next big aspiration without taking the time to simply enjoy the ride. People are functioning on little sleep due to the stress they put on themselves to overachieve. Even worse, anxiety, depression, and addiction are rampant with the lack of appreciation for the important things in life like meaningful relationships, self-reflection, and a good night’s sleep.
People are losing sight of their health and well-being. If you feel as if you’re running in circles and can’t seem to fit self-care into your busy schedule, here are five simple ways from our guest writer, Amanda Turner, to help you make self-care a priority no matter how busy you are.
1. Meditate
The idea of meditating is intimidating to many people because they think it’s something that you must “master”, or at least become “good at it” to see results. The truth is, anyone can meditate effectively. Since it only takes a few minutes a day, what do you have to lose? If you’ve never meditated before, guided meditation apps, such as Headspace or Calm, can be helpful for getting over any apprehension you may have about your meditation “talent”.
2. Reclaim Your Home
In order to be fully motivated to keep up with your busy schedule, you need a comfortable, relaxing, and inspiring home environment that supports a healthy mindset. With that said, don’t try to tackle the whole house at once – you don’t want to end up overwhelmed.
Instead, start small. Decluttering a closet or making a list of needed repairs and maintenance, for example, and then calling your repairman to get one or two things done is a great first step. When you’re surrounded by clutter and disrepair, your mind is also cluttered, making daily tasks unnecessarily stressful.
3. Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating involves more than just eating healthy foods. It is a practice that, along with choosing nutrient-rich foods, involves treating the act of eating as a ritual rather than something you cram into your schedule at your desk at work. Be intentional about fueling your mind and body by taking natural, ideally vegan supplements and vitamins such as sho Nutrition on a daily basis.
Plan healthy meals for the week ahead of time and make it a habit to only go to the grocery store once a week. During the day, take your packed lunch to a park bench and enjoy a little nature while you eat. Chew slowly to fully enjoy your meal as well as to keep yourself from overeating. Also, take a few moments before you dig in to send some gratitude out into the universe for the opportunity to feed yourself well.
4. Develop Healthy Sleep Habits
Sleep is another way to care for both your physical and mental health while also increasing your productivity. The impact that a night of poor sleep has on your day is fairly clear, but the long-term effects of sleep deprivation aren’t always as clear-cut. Lack of sleep affects your cardiovascular health, puts you at a higher risk of diabetes, and weakens your immune system. It’s important to be proactive about getting enough sleep.
Develop a wind-down routine before bed when you unplug from technology and engage in meditation or take a warm bath with soothing bath salts. Cut off caffeine after 2 PM and utilize aromatherapy with candles or essential oil diffusers.
5. Incorporate Exercise into Daily Activities
Exercise seems to be the number one bit of self-care most often neglected, but finding time for it doesn’t have to be a difficult ordeal. Just like reclaiming your home, you don’t have to get your daily exercise in one big chunk. In fact, setting unrealistic goals like trying to fit in an hour and a half of exercise four days a week is not a good place to start.
Instead, fit exercise into things you’re already doing. If there are stairs where you work, skip taking the elevator. If you take public transit to work, get off two or three stops early to get a brisk walk in to energize you for the day. Do jumping jacks, sit-ups or push-ups while watching TV, too, during commercials or at set intervals of time.
Self-care should be an important part of your day no matter how busy you might be. Take a look at our tips and see what you can fit into your schedule – you might be surprised at how good you feel.
