Take 5: Self-Care Strategies That Can be Implemented Right Now

Between work, home, family and social responsibilities, do you often feel that all your time is spent taking care of others and you have no time to take care of yourself? As the nurturers of the world, you give all that you have to those who need you, but you forget to or feel guilty about taking care of your star player, YOU. Neglecting self-care is easy in a busy world, but the consequences can be detrimental.

Adding self-care practices to your daily routine can greatly strengthen your wellness and overall happiness. Plus, experts say that the happiest and most successful people regularly focus on self-care! I know what you are thinking… LeAnne, that all sounds wonderful, but how in the world can I add self-care into my life when I have NO TIME?

Read on and get 5 strategies that you can implement starting right now!

1. Block out time for self-care in your schedule. It’s not enough to occasionally stop your busy lifestyle and take a walk or indulge in a hot bath. Self-care is an ongoing process. Just as you reserve time in your schedule for other appointments, set aside time to take care of yourself, too. It doesn’t have to be hours, it can be as simple as 30 minutes a day.
   • It’s important to adopt self-care habits that you can enjoy on a regular basis. They’ll help you avoid burnout, increase your productivity, and allow you to enjoy life.
2. Create a Compliments Jar and place notes of all the compliments you receive inside. You can enjoy this self-care practice even as you work or run errands! Start taking notes of the compliments you receive and at the end of the day or week, write them or print them out and place them inside the jar
   • Your Compliment Jar can include emails, notes, thank you cards, and other things that make you smile.
   • You can decorate your compliments jar in bright, colorful, fun colors and designs to brighten you mood
   • This self-care practice can help you fight negative thoughts. Compliments can serve as reminders that you matter, your existence is important, and someone appreciates and loves you.
3. Enjoy your favorite hobby. Whether you love to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen, build model cars or planes, or paint pictures of sunsets, your favorite hobbies can definitely be included in your self-care.
   • Hobbies and activities that you already enjoy are easy to select and put into practice.
   • You just have to find room in your schedule (refer back to strategy 1) to do them. This is an important step and shows your commitment to self-care.
4. Do one “selfish” act for yourself without guilt. Living selfishly all day isn’t recommended, but doing one selfish act that makes you happy can do wonders. You can enjoy just that one thing without feeling guilty about it!
   • If you struggle with self-care, it’s often because you spend all of your energy and time taking care of others. There’s nothing left in your well for yourself.
   • By taking the time to do one selfish act, such as reading your favorite book or finishing a puzzle you started, you’ll be restoring your own importance.
   • It’s ok for the kids to eat leftovers one night so you can indulge in a long, hot bath one night. YOU deserve it!
5. Remove clutter. Whether you decide to declutter your closet or clean out the fridge, removing clutter will uplift you. Clutter can drain you physically and mentally. It can also make you unhappy as you try to move through your day.
   • Removing clutter helps you eliminate the things that no longer serve you. This can be physical things, people, thoughts, and even feelings.

It’s no secret that self-care often takes a backseat to work, family, and other social obligations. Without stopping to take care of yourself, mind, body, and spirit, you place yourself at risk of burning out and potentially suffering from serious health issues. I hope you can use the strategies above to make wellness an important part of overall self-love plan.

Which strategy will you start with first?