Putting you first

Follow these six simple steps on your journey to better self-care. 

In the words of RuPaul “if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” Self-love is a crucial part of self-care, but there are dozens of other simple things you can do. Taking good care of yourself is imperative in today’s hectic world. It will play a crucial role in maintaining both your physical and psychological health.

So, what does it take to get started with better self-care? Here are a few of the essentials to master today.

Six Tips for Self-Care

Spend quality time with loved ones 

Spending time with friends and family is a key part of taking care of yourself. If you have a demanding job and you spend long hours at the office, this step becomes an even bigger essential.

Friends and family will keep you grounded. You’ll be taken back to the real world with all of its pleasures and little joys. Make it a habit of attending a family meeting or gathering with friends every once in a while. Even if you’re quite busy, you’ll soon start craving such encounters.

Me time

A good routine features equal amounts of time for work and personal care.

You need to dedicate at least 30 minutes to me time every single day. Use this time to exercise, meditate, educate yourself, go for a spa treatment or simply stay home and watch a nice movie. Understand your body and your mind’s specific needs. Don’t ignore cravings – they’re giving you a lot of important information about what you may be missing right now.

Focus on stress management

We all experience a lot of stress in our everyday existence. When the stress becomes chronic and unmanageable, however, it can have a profound negative impact on wellbeing.

Choose the right way to manage stress and prevent it from impacting your life. For some people, exercise and yoga will be sufficient to counter everyday tensions and anxieties. Others may want to attend therapy sessions in order to develop effective coping skills.

The process starts with identifying the stressors in your life and the best ways to counteract against those. You need a degree of self-awareness. Don’t be afraid to explore your surroundings, identify stressors and eliminate those. Alternatively, come up with healthy methods for overcoming stress like spending quality time with people you love, pursuing your passion out of work and even changing your job.

Take good care of your body

You need both a healthy mind and a healthy body. Improving your diet a bit, being more active, eliminating habits like smoking and excessive drinking will give you a profound sense of accomplishment. In addition, you’ll feel healthier. If your body is strong, your mind will also go stronger and you’ll be content.

There’s no universal self-care formula, which is why you have to identify the steps that will give you the best results. Don’t be afraid to change up your daily routine every now and then. Eventually, you’ll identify the activities and the practices that make you happier, more self-sufficient and aware.

More Insights: Check out this article on the power of focus and how it can help you!

Author: Laura Buckley: As a freelance writer and contributor for educational website Scholaradvisor, Laura Buckley believes that all things in life are easy and achievable and wants to help everyone find their full potential. Personal motivation is what drives her the most.