Wednesday 6 October 2021

SELF CARE SHOULD BE A ROUTINE, NOT A CHORE


 It’s very easy for us to feel as though after everything we have to deal with in a day, from managing a career, or working as a stay-at-home parent, or even trying to juggle family and work responsibilities, we have no time for ourselves. Many people find that the only free time they really have is for a couple of episodes of television from time to time, or perhaps attending to a hobby they have now and again.





It’s very easy for us to feel as though after everything we have to deal with in a day, from managing a career, or working as a stay-at-home parent, or even trying to juggle family and work responsibilities, we have no time for ourselves. Many people find that the only free time they really have is for a couple of episodes of television from time to time, or perhaps attending to a hobby they have now and again.

With all that rushing around, it can be hard to know if self-care is for us. But that’s often a flawed observation to make. This is because self-care should be there to help lift you up, and to help you feel more energy and resilience during your daily experience. When you feel more active and able, you’re less likely to fall victim to feeling terrible after all your daily efforts are done. But this means making self-care a routine, and not a chore we attend to now and again because we realize that we’ve been slacking lately. This might sound easier said than done.

Convenient Self-Care Products

Convenient self-care products that help you practice self-care without meaning you have to go to great lengths to upkeep a worthwhile schedule can make the world of difference. For instance, having asthma inhalers delivered can ensure that you always have this utility with you in your carry-bag, allowing you to practice self-care without ever forgetting to care for a fundamental need, or being unable to access that.

It can be healthy to line up all your skincare products in a row along with your bathroom sink, as well as having a yoga mat placed in your room, or even a stationary spin bike in your spare space to help you access cardio when the weather is too cold outside or when you don’t have time to make it to the gym. Making self-care convenient and accessible means you’re much more likely to keep up with the routine that self-care demands. For obvious reasons, this is a healthier approach.

A Morning Focus

It’s good to utilize a morning focus that gives you the chance to wake up and restore yourself, making good on the power of routine. Often, waking up and getting ready for our day is the best time to practice necessary self-care, more than you may imagine.

For instance, a morning focus could mean waking up, and immediately performing some lightweight stretches and exercises. This could naturally move into meditation for ten minutes. Then, taking a shower could help you totally wash off all that morning activity and help you feel comfortable for getting into your work clothes before you set off. If you imagine a morning as the first snooker/pool strike, the way you hit the pool balls of your day will ultimately leave you in a better position for the next one.

The Power Of Downtime

It’s very easy to think of downtime as laziness. That’s not the case. Sure, spending five hours a day playing video games or watching Netflix at the expense of relieving your stress through self-care could be considered relatively harmful approaches.

But downtime can be healthy if you do it right. Journaling in the evening, reading a few chapters of a book you’re involved in before shutting off the lights before bed, or taking some time to gently talk with your partner can make a big difference. Downtime during the day can help too, such as taking a nap during the day if you have the ability to. For instance, stay-at-home parents that place their children down to nap for a certain amount of time can sneak a little bit of shut-eye during this time too, provided the baby monitor is properly installed.

Taking self-care when you can get it will help you establish the routine you need instead of being perfect in all things.

Substituting Current Habits

If you find that you don’t have time to integrate new self-care habits, perhaps you can switch your current habits out for a better substitute.Meal prep Sunday, for instance, can help you freeze and reheat healthy meals during the week rather than heading to your local fast food joint each day. Little conveniences like this help you get the best of your routine, as discussed above.

With this advice, you’re sure to see how self-care can be a routine and not a shore, while making good on that concept in all things.


2 comments:

  1. A really well written post and all so true! Finding the time to indulge in any self care can be hard as a parent, but so needed.

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  2. Such a great post, ensuring we have downtime is something many of us just do not do naturally and it is important

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