Your Beginner’s Guide to Self-Care
Life’s hectic. We are all running in so many directions, finding time for self-care seems impossible. Partly because it takes time to figure out the best methods for self-care. And again, time is a precious resource. Well, if this topic seems foreign to you, no problem. We’ve come up with this beginner’s guide to self-care to kickstart your routine.
Yes, sometimes basic self-care can get lost in our roles and responsibilities.
But a little reminder, practicing self-care can seem hard at first. It can be that you’re so pressed for time that doing these things can feel like a waste, adding more stress to your already stressful life. Or we’re so used to taking care of other people that putting ourselves first feels selfish.
So, before we get into the details, let’s see why we need self-care in the first place.
Benefits of Self Care
Self-care and Its Benefits
You’ve probably seen people describing self-care as having a bubble bath or spa day to themselves. Well, we love those things too but self-care goes far beyond pampering.
It’s a proactive step to taking care of ourselves in all aspects: physical, emotional/mental, social, and spiritual. It’s intentionally giving time and attention to these dimensions for your well-being.
Some of the primary benefits of self-care are meaningful relationships, motivation and productivity, better overall health, and positivity. We need to take care of ourselves so that we can stay happy, healthy, and sane despite life’s stresses.
Beginner’s Guide to Self-Care
How to Start a Self-Care Routine
Here’s how you can get into a self-care routine that fits your lifestyle:
- Assess what makes you feel attuned with yourself.
Meditation for Self Care
Self-care doesn’t have to be generic. Find out things that make you feel good and bring joy whether that’s listening to your favorite music, diffusing essential oils, or doing yoga.
Have a set of soothing sensations to go with your daily grind. Perhaps it’s wrapping yourself in a soft blanket as you wind down, meditating quietly, or just looking at your favorite color.
Moreover, remove negatives. Take control of your energy. Stop feeling guilty for setting boundaries.
You can even take self-care a step further and learn about your energy centers (chakras). When your 7 main energy centers are aligned, energy flows smoothly and contributes to your overall well-being.
- Think of how you can stack these self-care habits in your daily life
Okay, so you can actually build your own self-care routine by combining activities.
For instance, you can start your day with meditation and morning bed yoga. During the day, you can give yourself time to take breaks.
As to how often you should, researchers have varied opinions. The University of Illinois recommends a short break every hour. On the other hand, the time-tracking app Desktime suggests that the most productive people spend 52 minutes working followed by a 17-minute break.
At the end of your day, incorporate ways to wind down like writing in a journal and avoiding screen time.
- Commit to doing these activities consistently and tweak as you go.
The key to building a self-care routine is carrying them out regularly.
How long does it take to build a habit, you ask?
Well, according to a popular myth, it takes 21 days to form one. But based on a 2009 study by health psychology researcher Dr. Philippa Lally, a habit becomes automatic after 66 days.
That means, it’ll take some time for you to come up with your own routine so be patient and keep doing these activities until they become part of your day.
Self Care Checklist
Self-care Ideas
Before we wrap up this beginner’s guide to self-care, we’re sharing some easy self-care activities you might want to consider:
- Start a new hobby
- Spend time in nature
- Join a reiki session
- Practice saying “no” when you want to
- Put on your favorite outfit and take the day off
- Go on a social media detox
- Declutter your home
- Set boundaries between work and personal life
- Drink enough water (8 to 10 glasses per day)
- Have a healthy diet
The list of things you can do to relax and increase your mental and physical wellness is long. But, remember, EveryBody in Mind Wellness Center is always here for you should you need any help!