We live in a competitive world where it seems like everyone is pushing themselves to the max in order to get ahead. However, if we're not careful, this can lead us to work too much and set ourselves up for burnout. Turning your focus onto yourself for even just an hour or two can be the perfect opportunity to practice self-care (especially if you haven't done so in a while). I'll walk you through some of the most important reasons why self-care is so important and how you can take care of yourself even when life gets challenging.
1. Practicing self-care helps you show up as your best
You might not realize it, but you need self-care. If you don't learn how to care for yourself and ensure that your mental, emotional and physical well-being is attended to, you're putting yourself at risk of burning out. Both men and woman feel the effects of burnout which can and does affect your ability to perform at your best. How do you avoid this? You start by practicing self-care daily!
Self-care boosts your performance at work. When you feel good about yourself, your whole world transforms. From the way you act to the choices you make and even to the way you view other people.
2. Self-care has a positive affect on our self-confidence and self-esteem
As adult women and men, we tend to focus on the success of other people, often under-appreciating our own accomplishments. Self-care can help maintain self-confidence and self-esteem because it provides an outlet to celebrate even small successes.
3. Self-care supports Self-Preservation
Life can be hard! It takes a lot of work to keep up with our day to day responsibilities. Self-care is so important because it helps us preserve our inner resources and create a better you.
It is essential to take care of yourself, as well as you can. It is not a sign of selfishness or self-absorption, but an essential act of compassion and respect for your own health and happiness. The healthiest people are those who are able to balance their needs with their care-giving obligations.
4. Self-care helps you become emotionally balanced
One of the best ways to improve your mental health is to practice self-care and self-love. Self-care means creating time for you and getting to work on your well-being. It's crucial for a healthy emotional life and can help balance out daily stressors, challenges, and upsets. For people who are emotionally healthy, taking time for yourself might come naturally without much thought. But if you have trouble with caring or loving yourself as well as others, or have difficulty managing negative emotions, it's important that you set aside time just for yourself.
Moving away from the things that stress us out is sometimes the best way to reclaim our mental health and emotional balance. When we feel a little better, we're more focused at work and easier to be around.
Self-care can be hard, but it is also necessary. It's tough to maintain a healthy balance in your life when you are trying to do everything, but proper self-care can help you get the rest, relaxation and care that you need. Be sure to create time for self-care at least five times each week and make sure that you actually use your time for the sole purpose of self-care. You deserve it!
What could I do to immediately start practicing self-care?
There are plenty of ways to start practicing self care today. The first thing I'd suggest is to take a moment and really slow down. Sit on the couch, lean back in your chair, close your eyes. Focus intently on your breath — feel it as it enters and exits your lungs, slowly filling your belly and then releasing it with a gentle push of air. That's all there is to it — just being present in the moment and taking care of yourself. It doesn't matter what you're doing; you can be breathing or doing yoga, or sitting still and listening to music. And when you're ready, I'd suggest making a pot of tea (or fresh pressed juice) and having a cup while you write in your journal.