Self-Care: How to Fit it In
Self-care is very challenging to fit in to everyones daily life, simply because it is not considered a priority. Most of us prioritize responsibilities like laundry, work and cleaning over self-care because society has taught us to view those as things that need to get done. I would go as far as to say self-care is just as important as everything else (in moderation), and as always, balance is key.
Without self-care, the things that we feel we have to do, often take longer, make us more tired and are overall draining. If we can find a balance with self-care, then we can be more efficient in our lives. Balance takes planning and discipline. It takes learning how to re-prioritize and from that, creating healthy habits. Healthy habits, or habits in general, take about 30 days to make. You can read more about forming 'healthy' habits here. Think of self-care as a healthy habit.
The best part (in my opinion), fitness can be considered self-care! Fitness, because you are bettering yourself in an active way, is self-care. I try to workout 5 days per week, it's important to avoid going overboard so as to not over-stress your body. Also, keep it to an hour to an hour and a half so you have time for your other responsibilities. Engaging in self-care may mean you give up some tv watching time, or social time with your friends, but that is okay because when you do get to the more fun things, you will have more energy and less brain fog! Side note, you can watch your favorite Netflix show on the elliptical, I do it!
Finally, I'd like to leave you with some tips to fitting it all in:
Break it up - No one said you had to do it all at once. Fit in 30 minutes here or there throughout your day until you've racked up anywhere from 1-2 hours of self-care.
Plan - it may seem tedious, but plan out your day. Get a planner from the store or make one yourself and write out your hour-by-hour plan for each day.
Mix it Up - Self-care can look different for everyone and it can include different things. A great way to fit it in is to mix it up and get creative with what your self-care for the day will be. For example, if you're traveling and don't have time for a workout, read a book at your gate while waiting to board a plane.
Make it Social - If you feel like you're neglecting your friends, make your self-care a social event. Hit up a cycle class with some friends or start a book club.