Self Care Can Be Simple.
Headlines may have you thinking differently but it’s true. Let’s explore this concept.
There is so much written about self-care these days. It can almost feel like another thing we have to add to our to-do list in an already busy life. Yet the truth of the matter is that self-care does not need to be complicated. Instead, check out our guide on what to include in your self-care routine to make it as simple as possible.
Nourishing our bodies
There is no point telling you about how you need to eat a healthy diet to stay healthy as you already know that this is the case. Instead, I’m just going to remind you that a crucial part of self-care is nourishing your body in the best way possible.
The best way to start adding more nourishment to your diet is to begin small. Try adding another portion of vegetables on your plate at dinner, or swapping a sweet breakfast for a savoury one. Then build up your nourishing self-care routine from there.
Caring for our bodies
Another crucial element of a healthy self-care routine is to care for our bodies. Many of us can struggle with this, sometimes because of psychological blocks such as thinking it’s vain or unproductive, and some with physical ones such as mobility issues, or exhaustion.
However, thinking about our bodies in terms of the vehicles in which we live our lives can help here. After all, you wouldn’t leave your car without regular checks and services, and our bodies are even more important.
To that end, a good idea is to create a list of body tasks you need to complete regularly. These should include things like showering, cleaning teeth, nail care, and washing hair. Indeed, nail care is a self-care task that is often shipped over, but can be particularly problematic as poorly looked after nails may develop issues like fungus that can not only be painful, but difficult to treat once they have established themselves.
Resting our bodies and minds
Next, any self-care schedule should include time for rest, both mentally and physically. After all, we tend to lead pretty busy lives in these modern times, and taking some time out is crucial for health and well-being.
To that end, be sure that your self-care routine includes a regular bedtime, as this can help your body wind down and get ready for sleep. Making getting to sleep and staying asleep a lot easier.
Also scheduling breaks and rest time in your day is a good idea, as no one can focus or work for 100% of the time. With that in mind, you may wish to start using tactics like a Pomodoro timer. Set it for 20-40 minutes to get things done and then set a 5-10 minute mini break to sit down, or step away from your task and get a short rest.
Meditation is also a great way to provide some rest to your body and your mind. Just be sure not to get caught in the trap of expecting a restful time, and understand that it’s a frequent bi-product of the process instead.
