Author – Craig Hoareau
Self-care is activating your best self by looking after your mind, body and spirit. They are choices you make that improve your mental, emotional and physical state, allowing you to be better and aim higher.
Now more than ever during the Covid-19 pandemic, self-care is important. Having to stay indoors can be stressful and you can get trapped in your thoughts. Anxiety will get worse and you will feel like there is no escape. There are however, things you can do to push away those thoughts and make the most of your time in isolation.
With more time on our hands, it is a great opportunity to set yourself a self-care plan. What days you want to look after yourself, maybe every morning or evening, once a week, twice a week? Whatever you choose, stick to it and reap the benefits of looking after yourself.
How do I know I need self-care?
If you feel unmotivated, fatigued or low on energy, then you are most likely going through something which is draining you. This can be stress, worry or overwhelm. All of these emotions can prevent you from accomplishing positive things and taking care of yourself. If you feel you are going through this, its time to sit back and focus on what’s important, you!
What do you do?
It’s not about creating a plan to accomplish massive goals. It can be as small as reading a book, using a smoothing body scrub, writing your feelings in a diary or cooking a meal for the family. Some great daily self-care routines you can develop are:
A healthy sleep routine
A Good amount of sleep is essential for your mental health. Try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time daily giving yourself at least 7-8 hours of shut eye. When you wake up, set an intention for the day.
Eating Healthy
Try to adopt a healthier diet. It doesn’t have to be super healthy but drinking more water, eating more fruits or vegetables definitely helps bolster your immune system. Read more about weight management and decluttering.
Taking regular breaks if working from home
Don’t sit at your computer/desk all day. Go out for a quick walk leaving your phone behind or clear your mind and Meditate for 10 minutes.
Stop people pleasing
It is sometimes hard to say no to loved ones or colleagues. We want to make them happy and we love to help, but at what cost. When asked to do something you don’t want to do, say no (but nicely). Only say yes to things you feel genuinely happy doing. If you don’t want to do something then you won’t perform to the best of your ability, it will make you stressed, angry or emotional. All these things are not great for self-care!
Activities that make you happy
Do at least one thing every day that makes you happy. This could be reading a book, watching your favourite TV show, cooking, cleaning or in my case, organising something! Self care for the mind and body doesn’t have to be complicated.
Connect with loved ones
We are lucky to live in a world where technology allows us to speak to loved ones over video or phone calls. Check in on your loved ones from time to time, it will make you happy and probably will brighten their day too.
Laugh!
Put yourself in situations where you can laugh and spread joy! Laughing relaxes the body, boosts immune system and triggers endorphins!
Be Truthful and authentic
Try your best to be as truthful and honest as possible with people you encounter and yourself! If you don’t like something, be honest about it. Say what you mean and do what you say.
Think before you react
We all are humans and will at some point encounter a situation which makes us angry. Usually people deal with this by reacting! Before blurting out in anger, take a minute, take deep breaths, assess the situation and decide if it is worth reacting over. Perhaps you misunderstood and it actually isn’t as bad as you first thought. Anger takes a lot of energy and can drain you instantly, don’t let yourself get to that point.
Be Kind!
It is one of the easiest things to do and can be as simple as smiling at a stranger and not saying anything negative when it isn’t needed. If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all. Saying negative things creates negative energy which is projected into the universe. I am a strong believer that what you say or do, has an impact on your life and the people around you. Live life by the mantra: Be nice or be quiet.
Did you know that A Tidy Mind is a lifestyle brand specialising in decluttering and organising – but that we also provide life coaching and stress management as services? Self care for the mind and body as integral to a tidy home. Craig is providing most services virtually at the moment. Contact [email protected] for a free consultation.