Recently, self-care has been a trendy term mentioned all over social media. But, in reality, not many people fully understand what it means. Contrary to common misconceptions, self-care is not only about selfish indulgence or plainly doing anything that soothes you.
Self-care is actually all about taking care of yourself, so you can be healthy and do things you need and want to accomplish in a day. It’s about incorporating the little things that improve your state of mind and overall well-being into your everyday life.
Learning how to care for yourself can help you reduce anxiety and stress, minimize frustrations, and increase happiness. This article outlines six different ways you can practice self-care each day. Read on.
1. Get enough sleep and wake up early
Sleeping can do wonders to every process in your body. It improves your physical and mental functioning the next day and your ability to fight disease and develop immunity. That is why people not getting enough sleep are more prone to various health issues.
However, you shouldn’t equate oversleeping with better sleep quality. The key is to sleep and wake up early and still achieve the daily requirement of 7-9 hours of sleep. Waking up earlier gives you extra time to eat breakfast and perform morning workouts, which could improve your mood and productivity.
2. Set the menu
Speaking of breakfast, what you eat can influence how you feel. Preparing your own food is a form of self-care, allowing you to have fresh and healthy food options at home. Eating healthy food sets you up for fewer mood fluctuations, an improved ability to focus, and an overall happier outlook. On the other hand, falling into the habit of ordering takeaways and being tempted to eat impulse snacks often can predispose you to diabetes or damage your kidneys.
3. Go for a walk
Exercise has always been an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. But when you’re too busy, it can be easy to neglect exercise altogether. Good thing it doesn’t take much of your time to walk. Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight and body fat. It also lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, and increases energy levels. So, ensure that you incorporate 15-minute walks into your daily routine, especially when going to your office or having your lunch break.
4. Stay hydrated
Part of self-care is ensuring you’re physically and mentally healthy, and staying hydrated is a significant factor in achieving both. Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily can help boost your energy, flush out toxins, and supports healthy blood flow. Start your day with drinking water and continue it throughout the day.
5. Get a pet
Getting a pet is a personal choice and may not apply to everyone. Nevertheless, pet lovers can greatly benefit from the presence of furry companions, especially dogs and cats. They can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness and encourage exercise and playfulness.
6. Treat yourself
Most people view self-care as an excuse to spoil oneself. Well, they’re not entirely wrong. But since everything on this list is designed to make you feel good and healthy, a little self-indulgence is not as bad as others think. You don’t have to go overboard and spend more than you can afford. Treating yourself could be as simple as having a long bubble bath, getting a massage, or watching a movie.
Conclusion
Life can be demanding and is full of challenges that may cause you a lot of stress. It could be from work troubles, business failures, or broken relationships. The key is to customize your self-care plan according to your needs and what is currently going on in your life.
The goal of practicing self-care is to be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. If it means spending a day of self-indulgence, do it as long as you try to keep your mind and body healthy. Just because life has been hard on you, doesn’t mean you can no longer live to enjoy it.
