Most people, especially women, don't take the time for self-care. Too busy working, dealing with kids or parents, and taking care of the myriad of responsibilities in your life leave can leave you feeling drained. Accustomed to putting other people first, there is no energy or time left for YOU.
You may start thinking about doing something for yourself and then, slowly but surely, the guilt creeps in. Feelings of being selfish, inconsiderate, and indulgent bubble up. How can I have lunch with a friend when I have a project deadline? How can I take that spin class after work when my 10 year old needs help with their science project?
Prioritizing everyone in your life leaves little time for you. Before you know it, you are feeling depleted, fatigued and burnt-out.
Promoting your physical, mental and emotional health is anything but selfish. If you want to be your best self at home and at work, you need to take care of you. That massage every six months is not self-care. Sure, it is nice to do, and you should definitely get that massage. Self-care is more than that. It is about your overall well-being.
Self-care should be a regular practice in your daily routine. Being intentional and creating activities that help you take care of yourself will build resiliency, give you the ability to handle stressful situations, improve your mood, increase positive thinking, and prevent burnout and depression. There is room for taking care of you AND taking care of others. In fact, if you do practice self-care on a regular basis, you will be in a better position to take care of others in your life and be compassionate to those around you. Making sure you get enough rest, including some physical activity in your daily routine, and connecting with others, will give you more energy and the ability to be more productive.
You don't need a whole lot of time to practice self-care. Just doing something for a few minutes each day will help you make mindful changes and create new routines and habits.There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to self-care. Give some thought to what self-care means to you and how you want to incorporate a routine into your life. Regular self-care habits help you become your best self.
You matter. Make yourself a priority.