When you don’t prioritise your self-care it will lead you to stress and burn out.
You have to look after yourself first before you can start to take care of others around you.
You can’t pour from an empty cup……so always make sure you are ensuring your cup is full or at least being topped up on a daily basis. Time is precious and we are very busy people but we can be healthier and more productive when we look after ourselves. Self-care is a necessity.
In order to look after yourself, you first need to be aware of what stresses you out and makes you more vulnerable. So, what is your biggest stressor? Is it looking after the family, is it work and meeting deadlines, is it exams, job interviews, driving test, relationship with your partner, toxic friendships or is it making ends meet, the list is endless you just make a list of what yours are and how often you endure it.
While thinking of our stressors we can also think of how it impacts you. Stress symptoms can be categorised into 4 areas, these are physical (increased heart rate, sweating, headaches, stomach cramps etc.), emotional (feeling sad, overwhelmed, cranky, irritable, restless etc.) , cognitive (impaired judgement, Lack of focus etc. ) and behavioural (change in sleeping and eating habits, nail biting, isolation etc.). So, what symptoms do you experience when stressed?
Now that you know what causes you stress in your life and how it impacts it will be easier to recognise it in the future and ensure you look after yourself in order to minimise the negative impact of stress.
Be your own best friend, Love yourself,
Stand up for yourself, Take care of yourself,
Make yourself happy and
Never settle for LESS!!!
Below are 10 tips to help you with prioritising your self-care and ensuring you are looking after your well-being:
- Taking time out for yourself is not selfish, it is essential to ensure you are being on top of your game. Do not feel guilty when you are prioritising yourself and looking after you and your needs. Enjoy it as this can be one of the most rejuvenating things to do that helps you recharge your batteries. These time outs where you enjoy some “Me” time and reflect on what’s going on, can help focus on what are your priorities and ensure you are working towards your goals. Quality alone time is so crucial in this world which is full of distractions. So, when is your alone time?
- Have a morning and evening routine which helps keep you organised for the day and help you start and finish the day in a positive way. Find out what works best for you and fine tune these routines. In the morning, you should be feeling energised and prepared for the day ahead. Going to sleep you should be able to drift off easily and have a good night’s sleep.
- Do activities which are enjoyable. Have a bath or book a massage, both are very relaxing for the body and help remove tension from the body which will also boost your immune system. Read a book, listen to music, do a crossword, sudoku or some colouring as each activity will help you escape for a little while from whatever is going on in your life and help you relax and enjoy switching the mind off from over thinking.
- Find time to nurture your soul. Spirituality is important for our overall well-being and our happiness. It is up to you to define your personal view of spirituality. Ultimately it is the health of your spirit so how do you nurture that? Whether that is religion, doing meditation or some mindfulness with breathing techniques or connecting with nature priortise growing your spirit and being the best version of yourself.
- Spend quality time with your loved ones. Whether it is a fun activity or talking to someone about a problem, family and friends are our closest confidants and help alleviate our worries as they show their support and help us through any challenges that may arise. They also know how to cheer us up and make us laugh so always spend time with the people who lift you up.
- Exercise for yourself every day they are so many options these days there are really no valid excuses. Go for a walk in your local area or park, hit the gym, try an exercise class, hit the dance floor or get your hands dirty and get stuck into some gardening. Get cuddles from your pet and enjoy taking some time out to enjoy their company. Find some way to incorporate it into your daily routine as exercise benefits you both physically and mentally.
- Express gratitude on a daily basis through journaling. This will train your brain to look for the positives and help you counteract when negative things happen. So that one little negative thing doesn’t turn the whole day into a bad day. It helps you acknowledge the negative but you can move on from it.
- Do something that you loved doing as a child. When our inner child is reminded of the good times it gives a great energy boost and lots of warm fuzzy feelings. So go climb trees, play hop scotch, colour, create something, jump in the puddles or leaves just have lots of fun.
- Talk to someone and seek support when necessary. Life can be very challenging at times so when feeling overwhelmed please confide and talk to someone you trust and share what is troubling you. Never feel like you are a burden, your loved ones would not want to see you suffer in silence so please have the courage to seek support. Sometimes sharing our troubles with someone we trust is enough to help us deal with the challenging time. However, there are times that talking to loved ones is not an option or that we need a professional to help us untangle what is going on and give us new tools to help us cope with a situation. It takes a lot of courage to take the first step, but it is worth it. Checkout www.yourmentalhealth.ie for more information or you can call the Samaritans on 116 1123
Self-care should be a non-negotiable as you can see how important it is to ensuring you are looking after yourself and your own well-being. Only you can look after yourself so always make it a priority.
P.S. If you want to learn how coaching can help you love yourself more and how this can help lead to a more fulfilling life in all areas of your life. Get in contact today, learn how you can work with me click here.
