Self-Care Essentials

‘Do we live for ourselves? NO. We live for our loved ones because we care for them’.

This is what we are told from our very childhood. Our social conditioning is done in such a way where we are taught to care for others, treat others, help others, motivate others, etc., and this is a very good upbringing. We work in the office to provide service to our organization. We work at home to help our family members. We are living in a society where if we want a better tomorrow, we are bound to perform a duty of uplifting each other.

But, in this duty of encouraging others, somewhat we have forgotten that we are having a relation of ourselves!

We are having a soul which tries to connect with our mind and we need to listen to them!

Often, we ignore our own relationship with ourselves. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad, sometimes proudly, sometimes under pressure, we put self-care at the back burner. We couldn’t even imagine that this kind of lifestyle is taking a toll, not only on our physical health but also on our mental and emotional health.

No matter how unavailable at the workplace, no matter how active we are on the field, no matter how much we are engaged in household chores, no matter how much we are occupied with our duties, no matter how much we are buried under our responsibilities; there is always a ‘Me Time, which we have to extract from our daily schedule, and optimise it to nurture own body, mind and soul.

Following self-care practices are essential for you.

1. Put your self-care schedule on the calendar.

Nowadays, people are more productive but are perplexed. In such a busy schedule, often you plan something great, but then certain new assignments distract you from your self-care goals. Whatever is important in our life, we put the calendar mark on it. The same is to be done for self-care programs. Set reminders in your phone about that date on which you should be fully dedicated to caress you. For example, if you are planning to go on a 15 days meditation course, set the clock and book slots from the earliest. Or, if you want to schedule a lunch with your friends, pen down the date and time in your personal diary, so as to remind it again.

2. Reward yourself.

The human mind is designed in such a way where it always wants to be praised. If you think you are too great to share or sacrifice your credits in the name of maturity, you should wait and think twice! It is not wrong if you give away your merit appraisal to someone else; sometimes it is necessary and important for motivating someone or to manage a situation, but doing the same every time is not justified.

If someone from your personal or professional surroundings is rewarding you, accept it and express your gratitude towards the person. But if no one is there to appreciate you, then not to worry! Create a reward system for yourself. If you did something good today, share it on your social media profile and motivate yourself with wishes and blessings from your social world friends. Feel free to share your achievements and accolades.

3. Practice meditation

Human emotions are like random moving particles that drift towards a negative direction very easily, specifically if something happened which is not going parallel with our intentions. In such a case, self-control is very necessary to further control the situation. Sometimes, there are a number of ways to handle a situation, but which one will be better or which one will be having minimal consequences, is difficult to understand. Here, Meditation comes into action. Meditating regularly will clear your mind from all dilemmas and help you relax. The goal is to focus on your breathing patterns. Studies have shown that regular practice of meditation is significant for reducing stress and improving memory.

4. Buy something for yourself; do something different.

Get yourself a new dress, though you don’t need it. But when you wear that new attire, the smell of new clothes will drive positivity in your mind and you will feel good. If sitting at home and feeling stressed, make a cup of coffee loaded with full-fat milk and sugar, and enjoy every sip by listening to a soft song. If tensed about getting those extra kilos by sipping sugar-coated coffee, don’t hyper. Put on those headphones, play music and jog around your locality. So, whether someone cares for you or not, you are always there to benefit you.

5. Share time with your loved ones.

Humans are social animals. We cannot live alone. We need someone with whom we can share our secrets, with whom we can share our pain, our happiness, and our fears. How much we are successful in our professional life if we are unhappy in our personal life that success will not last forever. So we need a family, a circle of friends to enjoy our life with. Therefore, how much you are indulgent in your corporate life, take time to share with your family and friends. Going on a hectic schedule, plan a weekend trip with your colleagues and friends. Go on a dinner date with your loved one. Participate in your child’s school programs. These simple yet effective practices are not only vital for self-care but also are the building blocks of ever sustaining relations.

6. Have a balanced diet.

Diet is recognized as one of those notable aspects of healthy living. If you eat well, you will live well. How occupied you will be with your duties and responsibilities, don’t ever make a habit of eating junk food or binging on unhealthy eating practices. There is nothing wrong to go off the track in a day or two in a week, but then the remaining five should be a combination of macro-nutrients required to maintain a healthy life. Along with that, have an active lifestyle. Instead of going to the first floor via the lift, synchronize your feet on the staircase. If going to a near-by shop, take a cycle and explore the surroundings.

Therefore, whatever the situation may be, give time to that person who is there in your mirror. Don’t wait for the winter holidays; plan your trips in this surprising summer itself. Self-care is a simple idea, but it cannot be utilized will lead to a complicated life. To make it work with optimum results, the only thing is you need to find what suits you the best; and then start working on it, without any further delay.