Self Care: 10 Things You’re Forgetting

Self-care has become a trendy term that’s synonymous with self-indulgence and elaborate getaways, and while that sounds great, self-care is about more than perfectly crafted social media posts and gorgeous getaways. It’s about ensuring that your physical, mental, and emotional health is intact. So how does one make sure that they’re not neglecting their own self-care? Here’s 10 things not to forget:

10. Make a To-Do List

Planning out your day or week can prove to be very beneficial. It can help with prioritizing tasks and goals, daily organization and can even be a stress reliever. Creating a to-do list can help you to develop a realistic plan for carrying out tasks that ultimately help you reach your goals. Doing this helps to keep you accountable for your actions and how you spend your time.

9. Start Your Day with Positivity

Routines aren’t just for kids. Starting your day off on a positive note can help set the mood for the day allowing you to better navigate problems that may arise. Try starting your day listening to relaxing music, with yoga, or drinking an herbal tea.

8. When All Else Fails, Write it Out

Journaling has served as a therapeutic outlet when unpacking decisions, negative thoughts, and emotions. Writing things down helps you to acknowledge and assess ideas, thoughts, and feelings and approach them from a more practical place.

7. Get Some Fresh Air

Take a moment to enjoy your surroundings by taking a walk, hike, or jog at a park or trail. This is a great way to gain awareness and get clarity on ideas and decompress from your day. Allow yourself to enjoy all that nature has to offer by being comforted by your outdoor surroundings.

6. Just Say No

No is the new Yes. How? Because when you say no you’re saying yes to yourself. Yes to self-love, yes to spending your time more wisely, and yes to having a piece of mind. Oftentimes we over-extend ourselves putting our needs on the back burner because we’re so focused on meeting the needs of others. This is especially important for our “superwomen” who neglect their needs and health until it’s too late trying to be everything to everybody.

5. Get Your Beauty Rest

While no one wants bags under their eyes, getting enough sleep is one of the most important things in adequate self-care. Getting enough rest that leaves you feeling rested and relaxed is key. It’s recommended that you get eight hours of sleep every night, and for better quality sleep you should sleep in colder temperatures with as little light as possible — so turn off the Netflix.

4. Retail Therapy Counts

When done right — financially that is — shopping can be both an energy and confidence booster. The key is to budget and plan out your purchases and not find yourself at every store and every sale on a constant basis. Just make sure that your next boss outfit isn’t fueling a bad habit and that it doesn’t put you in debt where you are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

3. Remember to Detox. Not just from food

Making dietary changes isn’t the only detox we should attempt; taking a break from social media and work can prove to be beneficial. It’s no secret that Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can all be distractions, so establishing clear boundaries with answering texts, emails, and social media posts so that you can stay focused on your goals can help. It’s also important to take much needed time off from work in order to stay sharp and break up the monotony of your 9-to-5.

2. Stay Hydrated

Drinking water daily helps to flush out toxins, improves skin, prevents headaches, and helps to keep things moving. Staying hydrated has a plethora of health benefits which it is why it’s recommended that you drink eight glasses (8 oz.) of water per day. If you’re not a fan of drinking water because you’re used to flavored drinks, consider trying these infused water recipes to add some flavor to your day.

1. Compliment Yourself

Why? Because you deserve it and you are AWESOME! This should be obvious but so many of us talk down or negatively about ourselves and our accomplishments or lack thereof. Positive self-talk can give you a more optimistic outlook and decrease negative emotions. Learning positive self-talk skills will only help contribute to higher levels of motivation and productivity.

Bonus: Get Help with Healthcare

Although you will want to care for your loved ones in need, it sometimes makes more sense to attain help from caregivers. A caregiver agency will provide you with the information and help that you need to seek home care for your loved one in need. Instead of relying on doctor surgeries and hospitals, you can attain the support and help your loved one needs in the comfort of your own home.