Ideas for Practicing Self-Care for Good Health

Self-care is a vital habit for all those seeking to live a healthy, sustainable life. Nowadays, the lives of many people are hurried and noisy. In such circumstances, feeling healthy and rested can be very difficult. When you’re stressed and burned out all the time, your health is bound to take a hit. The key is in practicing self-care. This term refers to a range of activities that nurture the body and soul. The intention is to restore health, enhance energy, and reduce stress.

Here are some basic, easy-to-follow self-care ideas to get you started:

Incorporate Sleep Into Your Self-Care Routine

Sleep can have a tremendous effect on one’s physical and emotional health. What’s more, not getting enough of it can lead to major health issues. Various distractions and constant stress can wreak havoc on your sleep.

How to incorporate sleep into your self-care routine? First, think about your nightly routine. Are you somebody who eats and drinks right before bedtime? If you are, start by staying away from things like sugar and caffeine.

Turn your bedroom into a place that promotes good, healthy sleep. Remove distractions such as cellphones, computers, or television. Use room-darkening curtains to stop the sun from waking you up too early.

Exercise on a Daily Basis

Everybody knows how beneficial daily exercise can be. It can help you both physically and mentally. Not only will you be shedding extra weight, but also reducing stress and anxiety by boosting your mood.

Of course, going to the gym every day is not something everybody can do. For that matter, try to incorporate exercises that you can fit into your schedule. These may include yoga, tennis, or something as simple as walking. Create a routine that works for you.

Eat Right, Feel Right

The food that we eat can contribute to weight gain and various diseases that come with it. However, it can also keep our bodies healthy and our minds working and alert.

Eating the right food introduces a huge number of benefits. It can, for example, prevent inflammation and short-term memory loss. These conditions have negative long-term effects on one’s brain, and, in turn, the rest of the body.

When it comes to amazing self-care food, go for brassicas, green leafy veggies, nuts, blueberries, and fatty fish. Nourishing your body and mind with these foods can literally change your life.

Take Care of Yourself by Getting Organized

One of the first steps in becoming a healthier person is getting organized. Although this may sound overly simple, it’s something that will help you determine which steps you must take to take better care of yourself.

Even the smallest changes, like keeping a diary or having a planner on the fridge, will make your life more organized. You’ll be able to write down all of your appointments and responsibilities.

Another good idea is to create an area where you’ll keep the items you use daily. These may include coats, briefcases, backpacks, purses, keys, etc. By having them all in one place, they will always be at your reach and ready to use.

Use Self-Talk to Your Advantage

All of us have inner dialogues in our minds. Unfortunately, this self-talk can often be a negative one, causing anxiety, stress, and fear.

Preventing this voice from holding you back is an important part of every good self-care strategy. By living in the present moment and surrounding yourself with inspiration, you can easily turn negative self-talk into a positive one.

Don’t worry about the past. Instead, move to constructive thoughts, as they can actually change your life for the better. Practice using positive words in everyday life - both in your mind and aloud.

Take a Self-Care Trip

One thing that can positively impact your life is taking a self-care trip. Whether you’re feeling stressed or not, getting away from your home every now and then can make a huge difference. It gives you a chance to rejuvenate, relax, and disconnect.

Keep in mind that these trips do not have to be expensive. You could simply go camping outside the city. Or, you could drive to the nearest city and see the sights. The ultimate goal is to take a break from your regular schedule and have some time just for yourself.

Do a Social Media Detox

Millions of people use social media every day. If you’re one of them, you may be tired of seeing the same photos of celebrity pets, outfit posts, and recycled news every day. This gives you an ideal chance for a detox.

A social media detox doesn’t mean switching off from just Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. It means switching off from all of them. Many people use these platforms out of boredom, even though they know they could spend that time in a much better way.

Instead of wasting your time scrolling, learn new skills. Take language, cooking, flower arranging, drawing, or photography classes. Or, take the opportunity to engage in cycling, hiking, or taking long, relaxing walks.

Learn to Say No

One self-care activity that most people have trouble with is knowing when to say “no”. Both in professional and personal life, saying “yes” when you don’t really mean it should be avoided at all costs.

Having a full calendar is undoubtedly rewarding, but learning when to say “no” can go a long way when it comes to your well-being. If you’re feeling tired, provide yourself the necessary downtime.

Knowing when to say “yes” is just as important. Agree only to requests and activities that bring you happiness and align with your values.

Invest in Your Hobbies

Does your life feel overly serious? Many of us find ourselves trying to monetize every second of our lives. We track productivity more than fulfillment, and that’s never a good thing.

If this is the case with you, there’s a good chance your hobbies have fallen to the wayside. You’re spending all of your time working and worrying. Self-care has no place in your life.

Change this by taking a good look at things that make you feel happy. Maybe it’s poetry. Maybe it’s dancing. Or, maybe you like coloring in coloring books more than anything. Whatever it is, carve out some time for it on a daily basis. The way you treat yourself is the way you feel about yourself. The ideas mentioned above will help you prioritize physical and mental health above everything else, which, in turn, should help you lead a happier life.

 

*** Written for Meridian Counseling by Jennifer Wilson a writer at Qeedle.com. As she understands all the challenges of running a small business firsthand, it’s her mission to tackle the topics that are most relevant to entrepreneurs - from finances to health - and offer advice and viable solutions.