Self-care is a practice that often gets pushed to the back of our minds. Life can get real busy depending on various circumstances, including work rhythms, raising a family, social calendars, household chores, and more. We tend to organize these things by priority, and self-care is more often than not found at the bottom of the list. There are too many responsibilities to worry about!
But neglecting to care for yourself will affect every area of your life. It may leave you feeling drained and unable to be the worker, parent, friend, or overall person that you desire to be. Self-care should always be a priority so that you can be energized and ready to take on all the other important tasks of your day.
Knowing how to invest in yourself is the first step toward self-care. There are both small and large steps that you can take now to give yourself the mental, emotional, and physical boost that is needed to function every day and do so joyfully. Here are five ways that you can invest in yourself this year.
Exercises For Anywhere and Anytime
Your day may seem too full to devote enough time to exercise. By the time you get home from work, eat a meal, and settle down for the evening, you do not have the energy to go out for a session of physical activity. Fortunately, to invest in your physical health, there are simple exercises you can do at your desk throughout the day to break up the monotony of sitting still. You could try some tricep dips using the side of the desk, a few pushups between tasks, or squats. These activities will get your blood flowing, give you a break from sitting down, and increase your strength.
Prioritize a Rest Period Every Week
It may be hard to find a time during the week where you can truly rest, but it is so important for your well-being that it is worth the trouble. Try to delegate some tasks to a family member or third party for one evening to give you the time off. With that time, engage in an activity that is restful for you. This doesn’t always mean taking a nap or sitting down with a glass of wine. It could be a hobby that you enjoy that relaxes your mind and stimulates your creativity. By setting aside time to just exist and take part in an activity that you enjoy, you will feel refreshed for the rest of the week, (though, if you can add to the number of rest periods during the week, it will benefit your well-being even more).
Challenge Yourself With Learning
The mind is designed to be exercised. One way to “exercise” your mind is to continue learning. Our brains are constantly taking in new information based on what the five senses detect in the environment, but learning a new skill or subject is the best way to engage your mind. By investing your time into learning something new, you are promoting better mental health. You also may discover that you are passionate about a certain subject that you have never encountered before. Take online classes about business or marketing. Watch Youtube tutorials for learning to work with your hands to create. Read a book about a subject that piques your curiosity. Challenge your mind to expand and retain this new information.
Start Taking Supplements
Say you already follow a balanced diet that provides all the nutrients you need. But what if you want to do even more to support that diet? Supplements that promote cellular health are a great way to support your already healthy diet with additional vitamins and minerals for the body. They are a very simple addition to your pantry, often coming in the form of capsules, pills, gummies, gels, or powders to add to drinks. Though supplements such as Gut Connect 365, cannot act as a substitute for a poor diet, they are a great way to invest in yourself by supporting healthy eating habits.
Start Journaling
Journaling is a practice that may seem like it is not for everyone. But the emotional and mental benefits that it can provide should convince anyone to give it a try. Keeping a journal allows you to reflect on the day, flex your creative muscle, consider how to better yourself tomorrow, and even let go of some emotional baggage. Sometimes, the best thing to do when facing struggles is to air them out, and journaling provides an easy avenue to do so.
Self-Care, Like Any New Skill, Takes Practice
You are not going to wake up tomorrow, implement these practices, and immediately see your outlook on life shift. It may take some time to discover which methods work for you and truly provide a boost to your happiness and energy levels.
Take the time to try out these methods and see if they are worth incorporating into your regular routines. What may seem to be a failure at first could turn out to be the perfect form of self-care if you allow yourself to be open to it. If you are serious about improving your overall well-being, then do not neglect self-care.
