Ways to sneak in self-care

I don’t know how or when it happened, but at some point, the people of today (especially in the US) began to celebrate stress. 

Overworking is considered a “strong work ethic.”  And a massage or mental health day is considered “frivolous or selfish.”

I have had these thoughts myself.  I remember bragging about my little brother waking up at 4 am to work on the house he was building, then going to work, then coming home to work on his house again.  Now, looking back, I wonder what that was doing to his body and his relationships.  Instead of bragging, I should have been concerned and tried to talk to him.  His house is now complete, and it is no longer an issue, but the fact that I celebrated his “hard work” is a concern.

I feel like it is something I struggle with daily.  I know I should take a walk on my lunch breaks but instead I do my charting.  I know I should relax before bed but instead I work on a few FB posts.  It has gotten worse since starting this business and it was beginning to affect my relationship with my family. 

I am now finding ways to improve my OVERALL wellbeing, not just my professional life.  Wellbeing includes: relationships (family and friends), mental health, physical health, spiritual health and growth (intellectual and personal).

I have found that I complete my self-care tasks when they are put on the same To-do list as my professional tasks.

My calendar day may look like this:

·         Smoothie

·         Workout

·         FB/IG posts

·         Check in with clients

·         Meditate

·         Lunch walk

·         Journal

·         Inversion table

I have also found that when I feel like something is a physical need then I will prioritize it. 

For example, I know that I need some form of magnesium replacement (as most of us do).  But I also know that I have a difficult time remembering supplements at bedtime.  I have started doing a 15–20-minute Epson salt bath after the girls go to bed.  The purpose of the soak is to obtain magnesium from the Epson salt, but I am also significantly improving my mental health.  I am reducing stress, taking time to meditate or reflect on my day and promoting better sleep.

Most self-care can improve mental and physical health.  If you are like me, for some reason it is easier to prioritize things when I know that it is improving my physical health.

Meditation and journaling reduce cortisol.  Cortisol raises blood sugar and sodium retention which can cause elevated blood pressure and weight gain.

A 10 minute walk in the sunshine after lunch increases melatonin (so many benefits) and reduce glucose and insulin spikes following a meal.

Whatever you need to do, however you need to trick yourself, please try to prioritize yourself.  You will be such a better partner, mother/father, friend.  It will also improve your cognitive ability and productivity at work.  Another piece of advice I’d like to leave you: please start to question those thoughts when you are celebrating stress.  It is nothing to celebrate.