Ever push yourself to the point where you can’t take anymore so you just give up? It’s called overload burnout. When we fail to make time for ourselves, our body turns to a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. This in turn affects our overall health and wellbeing.
It might seem counter intuitive to be self-fish with our time but as humans with potential for stress and burnout, self-care is an essential survival skill. Take it from someone who has been down the path of self neglect. Amidst juggling two jobs, working out 5 to 6 days a week, starting a blog and making time to keep relationships, I had forgotten to make some time for myself.
I was giving out all my energy and time without the proper rest that my body needed. This was when I decided to make a lifestyle change. I started practicing self-care on a regular basis to reduce stress, rather then wait until I’m fatigued and drained.
Here are my top 5 ways I’ve incorporated self-care into my lifestyle:
Healthy Eating
Eating a well balanced and nutritional diet has a tremendous impact on how you feel throughout the day. I try to consume at least 3oz of veggies and 2oz of fruits daily. I normally juice 1 of my meals or make a smoothie because it’s easier for me to consume more veggies.
I also take vitamins every morning. My go to’s are; omega 3, probiotics, vitamin b6, folic acid, and biotin. This routine helps me stay energized and feeling my best.
Reduce Stress
There are many ways to reduce stress and it only takes a few moments of your time. A few of my favorite ways are:
- Having a cup of tea 6. Taking a warm bath
- Taking deep breaths 7. Taking a nap
- Complete something (Productivity) 8. Have a cup of wine
- Getting up early (5:30am) 9. Watch a movie with someone special
- Talking to a friend 10. Listening to chill jazz
Time Management
One of the most common complaints associated with stress is, “there isn’t enough time!” Time management skills are critical because with out it you can either become a workaholic or a procrastinator. Both of which impact our stress levels. Prioritizing to-do lists, scheduling, and setting goals keep me on track and end procrastination.
Relaxation
When it comes to relaxation, most people think of sleeping, laying down on the couch or being lazy. On the contrary, relaxation is something that is best effective when done in an awake state. It is a mentally active process that leaves the body relaxed. Some techniques are: meditation, deep breathing, and stretching/yoga. These techniques help me with muscle tension, anxiety, and fatigue.
Mindfulness
When we are stressed it can often feels like we’re living on autopilot– disconnected from the here and now. When you are mindful you are aware of the present moment and accept it as it is. Shutting off all electronics, and turning off my cellphone for an hour to do something that adds value to my life is a way that helps me be mindful. Another way is getting away from distractions and noise to become aware of how I am feeling at that moment.
Practicing these self-care tips on a regular basis is key in order to reduce stress. Try them out and let me know how it goes for you in the comments below!
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Fantastic post, Katie.
I think life’s a balancing act, and we should be careful how we spend our time, on what we spend our energy, and so on.