Stop what you’re doing! This is your OFFICIAL intervention! That’s right... get off your laptops, put down your phones and step away from your desk. I want you to take a minute to just stop, breathe and relax. Come back to this blog post in 60 seconds...
Okay, are we all feeling better? I know how hard it can be for us to switch off sometimes (believe me, I struggle with it daily!) As busy, go-getter girls who are all about managing a hundred different projects at once… PLUS maintaining a healthy lifestyle…. it can be tough to schedule in a little “me time” without feeling guilty.
But self care is SO important for our health! If you’re struggling to think positively about food, exercise, work or LIFE, you should go back to the basics and give yourself some time to recharge. By doing so, you can continue on your path to a positively healthier, happier version of YOU - and that’s what we all want, don’t we!?
This blog post is centered entirely around how to implement a fun, enjoyable self care routine into your week - because god knows we need a little R ‘n R sometimes! Enjoy!
Step 1: Make self-care a priority every day
I want you guys to make a conscious effort every day to take 20 minutes to yourself. Do something you enjoy! Do you love reading? Putting on a face mask? Or do you like taking active breaks to walk your dog in the sun? Whatever you do for that 20 minutes, make sure it’s something you enjoy! Making self care a priority every single day will help you clear your mind, reboot your body, and you will find you are more positive and productive for the rest of your day! There’s nothing worse than feeling so bogged down by work or life that you can’t let yourself enjoy the little things. So take that 20 minutes!
Step 2: Enjoy stillness
We’re used to leading such busy lives that it can often feel uncomfortable to be still, but you should learn to enjoy stillness. Stillness means being completely at one with yourself and your mind! You should enjoy not being in a constant state of stress and frenzy. My biggest tip would be to find your happy place - AKA the stress-free zone - and go there alone for a little bit! (Alone… who does that!?) I know that being alone can be daunting for many of us, but being alone will give you a chance to enjoy your surroundings, disconnect from other people’s lives and dramas and just enjoy YOU! This means having some time where you aren't listening to a podcast while walking, but just enjoying a walk silently, or a drive in silence. Take your time and enjoy stillness.
Step 3: Unplug and sign off
The most difficult task of all is disconnecting from social media, especially if social media is your job! My job is almost completely surrounded by social media, so naturally it’s one of the hardest but most important steps to implement into my daily self care routine - but I still do it! Myself and Tim (my hubby) have a rule that we don’t go on social media after 8pm! We give ourselves an hour before bed to switch off, relax and be present. Creating this boundary is probably the most important step in your-self care routine! We don’t realise it, but staring at screens and interacting online is just as exhausting for our brains as a full day of work! It’s also a huge brain stimulant, which means if you’re scrolling on your phone right before bed, your brain takes longer to shut off and you won’t get a great sleep.
Step 4: Keep an affirmation and gratitude journal
This is my favourite step of all! Did you know that before I sit down at my desk and begin work for the day, I physically write down my daily affirmations and 3 things that I am grateful for? Yep! I do this every day. This is important because firstly, you should always remind yourself of how grateful you are for the life that you live, and for all the people in it! Secondly, because positive affirmations are like mini positive reinforcements! The more you compliment yourself, the more you start to believe it! Not only will doing these two things keep you grounded, but it will instantly help you reconnect with yourself and feel happier!
Step 5: Learn when to say “no”
This is something that I really struggle with, so perhaps you do too! I’m a huge people pleaser, and I tend to say yes to things as an automatic response because I fear that if I say no, I will disappoint people! If you are the same, then I want YOU to start saying NO to things, people, and situations that zap the energy out of you. If you don’t want to do something, or you know it will add more stress and complication to your life, then just say no. It’s not worth putting yourself under more stress to please someone else! Your primary focus should be YOUR health and happiness, not someone else's. So please, make yourself your number one priority & say that horrible “no” word when you need to!
If you feel a little run down, or perhaps you’re not feeling yourself lately, then it’s time for some self care! Once you prioritise your self care, everything else aligns as it should; your health, your happiness, your relationships, and your mind.
Now give yourself permission to take that relaxing bubble bath you’ve been dying for all week, say no to the added stress... and take your 20 minutes!
Love,
G x