On Self-Care
The world is constantly changing, and while a great deal of these changes are for the better, most of us can safely say that the pace of life, along with our normal routine, are different than they were a decade ago. Smart phones mean we’re constantly connected to the internet; they also keep us available to employers - and other responsibilities - at all hours.The news is constant and often dire. Those of us with children can keep ourselves up even after the most exhausting days, worrying about their education, safety, and happiness. Those among us who are childless are no less free to worry in bed at night after a long day as we contend with work, relationships, financial responsibilities, and the state of the world. Alright - I’ve gotten myself worked up. Let’s take a deep breath together - inhale. . .
1, 2, 3, 4, 5. . .
And exhale. Whew. Okay, I feel a little calmer.
My intention, when I sat down to write this, was not to increase anyone’s stress level (including my own!); however, stress is unavoidable. And that’s why it’s so important - critical, really - to practice self-care. In a cold world, on this lonely planet speeding through the vacuum of space, sometimes you’re the only person who’s worrying about you. Hopefully most of us, most of the time, have people we can count on, but in between, I highly recommend you develop a practice of self-care.
So - what is self-care? It is a self-initiated practice that improves one’s wellbeing. You can practice self-care on your own, on a small scale, any time you are able to carve out a few minutes of personal time/space. A lot of the advice we get about taking care of ourselves - “eat right,” “get eight hours of sleep every night” - is easier said than done. And you can make yourself crazy thinking about all the ways you’re not quite doing those things all the time. Self-care isn’t about changing your lifestyle; it’s about getting through each day a little more easily, and being a little happier and calmer while you do it.
Basically the most important thing I want you to know about self-care is: you don’t need a lot of time or money to do it. You can take five minutes on your lunch break to meditate, or ten minutes before you go to bed to prepare yourself a healthy work snack for the next day so you don’t end up running to the vending machine. Little ways of loving yourself can make your day-to-day so much better.
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. We’re going to be doing several articles on this topic, so come back next week for a deeper dive into meditation. Here are some easy things you can do now to make your day a little better:
Get outside. If you can take a 15 minute break from work, take a walk around the block. It only takes 10 minutes of direct sunlight to get all the vitamin D you need for the day, and the change of scenery will make it easier to stop thinking about work for a bit. Stay off social media while you’re out of your workplace - it can be fairly toxic.
If your position or hours make taking a walk difficult on a work break, step away and call or text a loved one. Hearing the voice of someone who makes you happy and cares about you can be therapeutic and, again, get you out of the work headspace for a few minutes. Maybe you and a friend can agree to be eachother’s lifeline - when one of you is stressed out at work, you call the other and it’s a given that you don’t talk about work for five minutes. Someone you have fun with.
Meditate for five minutes. Similarly to the above suggestions, this can take you out of the stress of the moment. Focusing on your breathing for five minutes is a great way to lower your heart rate, feel centered, and refocus before you turn your attention back to work. There are tons of free apps and guides around this, and again, we’ll get into it in more detail next week.
Bring your own lunch to work. It doesn’t have to add any time to your morning; spend 15 minutes the night before putting together your lunch and snacks for the next day. That way you won’t be tempted to run out and by something, or grab snacks or treats that are in the office. It saves you money and forces you to think about what you’re eating. Don’t go hungry - make sure you get good meals with protein and nutrients!
Don’t forego life’s simple pleasures because you’re busy. That what the above suggestions are all about, but you could take it a step further and think about whether you’re really getting more done when you don’t take that call from your friend or when you eat lunch at your desk. Contrast this to how much more productive you feel when you get back from a walk or a break - work smart, not hard. There are probably a dozen ways you can customize this philosophy to your own life.
You know yourself best - take some time to think about what really cuts through the noise for you, so you have a silver bullet on days when you’re feeling especially overwhelmed. Maybe it’s mentally planning your weekend, or looking at a picture of your kids. Write it down, write about your feelings, keep a private journal.
Next week we’ll talk more about meditation - its benefits and techniques. Until then, we hope you stay safe, happy, and healthy.