Our world has changed significantly over the past 50 years. We mostly live with busy schedules, constant stress and overwhelming responsibilities, and taking care of ourselves often takes a back seat.
However, neglecting our self-care can have detrimental effects on our physical, mental, and emotional health, so understanding the importance of prioritising and incorporating self-care into our daily lives is crucial to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
Prioritise Self-Care
The first step in implementing self-care is to make it a priority. Recognise that self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity for your overall wellbeing. Set aside dedicated time for self-care activities and treat them as non-negotiable appointments with yourself.
Know Your Needs
Self-care is a deeply personal endeavour, therefore it is important to discover what methods suit you best. Take time to contemplate your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual requirements, and pinpoint activities that can meet those needs. These activities may range from engaging in physical exercise and maintaining a nutritious diet to practising meditation, reading, or cherishing moments with loved ones.
Create a Self-Care Routine
Establish a consistent self-care schedule that aligns with your daily or weekly agenda. This may involve dedicating 15 minutes daily to meditation, taking a stroll during your lunch hour, or planning a pampering session for yourself each week. Following a schedule enables you to integrate self-care seamlessly into your routine.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an effective practice for taking care of oneself. It is frequently used nowadays, although I prefer to refer to it as being aware. This entails being completely engaged in the present moment and attentive to one's thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without judgment.
Set Boundaries and Practice Self-Compassion
Establishing boundaries is essential for safeguarding your overall wellbeing. It is important to be able to decline arrangements or invitations when necessary and develop healthy boundaries in various aspects of your life, including relationships, work, and personal matters.
Avoid stretching yourself too thin or taking on excessive responsibilities, as it often results in burnout. Studies have indicated that individuals who excel at asserting and setting boundaries experience lower levels of stress and achieve better mental health outcomes (Neff & Dahm, 2015). Engaging in self-compassion has been linked to improved psychological well-being and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression (Neff, 2003).
Get Enough Sleep
Prioritising restful sleep as part of your self-care routine is essential. It is worth noting that insufficient sleep has been associated with various health problems, including impaired cognitive function, a higher risk of chronic diseases, mood disorders, and weakened immune function (Buysse et al., 2010). To learn more about optimising your sleep and getting the best sleep please read our blog "Wake Up Refreshed: Optimise Your Sleep For A Better Day Ahead".
Practice Gratitude
Cultivating a gratitude mindset can greatly impact your wellbeing. Dedicate a few moments each day to contemplate the things you are thankful for in your life. It could be as basic as acknowledging the warmth of the sun, a satisfying meal, or a thoughtful act from a friend or a stranger. By practising gratitude, you can redirect your attention towards the positive elements of your life and enhance your general wellbeing.
Stay Active
It is important to find enjoyable activities such as walking, dancing, swimming, or practising yoga, and make them a regular part of your self-care routine. Engaging in exercise releases endorphins, hormones that can elevate your mood and reduce stress. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has shown that regular physical activity can lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer (Matthews et al., 2011). Additionally, exercise has been found to enhance cardiovascular health, strengthen the immune system, increase energy levels, and promote better sleep (Haskell et al., 2007)
Connect with Others
Spending time with loved ones, whether family and friends or engaging in social activities that resonate with your interests is a powerful self-care practice. These connections offer support, companionship, and a sense of belonging, vital for our emotional health. The absence of genuine human interaction, as seen in the virtual world, can lead to feelings of isolation and purposelessness, ultimately resulting in heightened anxiety levels.
Recent studies in the UK have shown a significant increase in psychological issues among healthy adults over 25 and young individuals aged 13-24 during the lockdown period. This highlights the undeniable importance of real human contact and its impact on our emotional wellbeing.
Spend Time in Nature
Being in natural surroundings or simply observing nature has a profound impact on our emotional wellbeing. It has been proven that exposure to nature not only alleviates negative emotions such as anger, fear, and stress but also enhances positive feelings.
Moreover, immersing ourselves in nature contributes to our physical health by reducing blood pressure, pain, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. Remarkably, scientific research conducted by public health experts Stamatakis and Mitchell suggests that being in nature may even have a positive effect on mortality rates.
Nature has the power to restore and establish connections within us. When we are exposed to nature scenes, the areas of the brain associated with empathy and love are activated, while urban scenes trigger the parts of the brain linked to fear and anxiety. On the other hand, the absence of nature in our lives has been linked to depression and a decline in empathy.
Self-care serves as an expression of self-love and self-respect, enabling us to present ourselves as the best versions of ourselves in every aspect of life. Engaging in self-care is not an act of selfishness, but rather a wise investment in our long-term health and happiness. It is crucial to bear in mind that self-care is not a one-off occurrence, but an ongoing commitment that demands consistent dedication and attention.
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