By Dr. Lisa Raymond
It’s the holiday season, and like many individuals during this time of year, the focus is typically more about others than it is about our own wellness. However, it is important now more than any other time of year to focus on self-care so that we can keep breathing and moving through the hustle and bustle of the season.
As we become overwhelmed, we are sometimes less able to make decisions clearly, lack critical problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to handle challenges as they come up in our lives. It’s important to realize that recharging is healthy! It’s about shifting your mindset from giving your all to everyone else (children, partner, work, etc.), to saving some love and self-care for you! This can be a pivotal move as a lack of quality self-care can hold us back from mentally and physically not only from ourselves, but also from others we deem important.
Think about the last time you were stressed or overwhelmed. How did those feelings affect your attitude in how you treated others, how you did your job, and most importantly, how you treated yourself? For me, when I’m stressed at work or home, I hold self-care as a reward. For example, if it’s lunch time, and I can hear my stomach growling, I make myself feel worse by pushing through and finishing a task rather than taking a needed break to eat. Here, I’m using food as a reward system. I make myself get to a “break through point” before giving myself much needed fuel, thus making myself angry and cranky to others. I do the same with using the bathroom as a reward system. Have you ever had to go, but you ignore the feeling so that you can finish doing something else? And by the time you do go, sometimes you’re in pain from holding it so long!
What I’ve learned, is that not only is this not healthy for your mind, spirit, or body, it sends a message that your need for relief is not important, when actually it should be!
Change your mindset to realize that self-care isn’t part of a reward, it’s part of the process. By taking the time to provide self-care you can reduce burnout, reduce negative effects of stress, and refocus on what’s important to you. So, what can you do? Here are eight areas that you can start providing care to self.
1.
Get more exercise. You don’t have to join a gym, workout at home
or just walk ½ hour a day to feel better!
2.
Small breaks.
Take a 5-10-minute break every other hour. Go outside, get fresh air, or just walk
around your office.
3.
Hydrate.
Drink more water. The impact of
drinking enough water daily is amazing!
Being dehydrated can leave you feeling tired and groggy, so load up on
water!
4.
Sleep. How much sleep does your body need? Are you getting the required 8-10 hours of
sleep? You will feel better when your
body is refreshed and well rested.
5.
Actions that help you feel better. When is the last time you did something that
you enjoy? Hang out with friends, dance,
read a good book, take on a new activity.
Find ways of doing things that you enjoy just to break-up the daily
routine of home-to-work.
6.
Nutrition.
Food is the energy that our body needs!
When we miss out on the proper vitamins, our body doesn’t work at
optimal levels. By changing how much
sugar and not-so-good stuff we take in, will change how we feel.
7.
Identify your triggers and acknowledge your
feelings. Keep a journal so you know how
things affect you, and you can work on the care that you need for each
moment. Identify positive ways of giving
self-care through prayer and meditation, positive self-speak, or talk and share
your experiences with either a close friend or professional (if needed).
8.
Set boundaries by saying “no”. Learn how to (politely) say no
sometimes. Know your limits and know
that by saying no you are giving yourself a chance to rest and recharge from
doing something for others, to doing something for yourself. The important thing that I learned by setting
limits with others is that, by adjusting my boundaries to fit every
relationship that I have with others, I diminish the relationship that I have
with myself.
By taking simple steps, you can begin the process of providing self-care when you most need it! For a video course, please go to: Quality Self-Care
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