8 tips for Selfcare, Everyday
by Anthony Hartcher
When discussing self-care with client’s I often refer to the analogy of putting on your own oxygen mask first before helping others. To care and best serve others you need to be at your best! How can an employee do their best work when they are sick or tired? How can a parent best support their children when they are not well? So prioritizing self-care is not selfish, it is selfless provided your motive is to serve others by being at your best!
So, what is self-care and how can you apply it every day?
Self-care according to Oxford Languages is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health”. So, what can you do to improve your own health? This depends on where you’re at with your health. I recommend you start with small changes and incrementally build. Look for those quick wins. Here are some examples…
If your feeling stressed or tired?
1. Consider taking a holiday. It doesn’t need to be a long holiday. Just time out of the city can be rejuvenating. A weekend away. Or a half day of bushwalking
2. Gentle exercise. Go for a lunch time walk with a friend. Try a Yoga or Pilates class. If your low on energy listen to your body and take it easier!
3. Increase hydration by sipping on herbal teas throughout the day
4. Reduce sugar, increase fiber. Start small by replacing a biscuit or pastry with a piece of fruit
5. Improve your sleep by reducing your exposure to stimulus 2 hours before bed. This includes electronic devices and doing work. Be consistent with you to bed and wake time
6. Implement a daily mindful practice. Again, start small with a minute and then build. It can be just lying down or sitting for a minute focusing on breathing in and out through the nose, with your mouth closed
7. Social media detox – unfollow those who don’t make you feel good about yourself!
8. Doing something that you love each day. This could be variety of things you enjoy sprinkled throughout your week. Such as going for a walk and talk with your friend. Reading a book in a park. Doing a Zumba class. Practicing your hobby etc.
As you can see a regular self-care practice can be easy applied. However, it does need to be prioritized. Too often I see my clients consider self-care as a nice to have and not as a MUST. To be well and feel good a consistent practice of self-care is key. Please be kind to yourself and others by taking care of yourself. Remember if it going to be it is up to me!