7 SELF-CARE PRACTICES YOU SHOULD ADOPT

Over and over again, we are increasingly overwhelmed with school work, relationships, family conflicts, money issues, health problems, work and exams. Very few people can develop resilience to this kind of pressing physical and mental exhaustion.

The rest of us have to constantly figure out how best to deal with our everyday challenges while taking care of our mind and mental health. To me, self-care is simply living with intention; being conscious of how I spend my physical and emotional energy, and ultimately how I’m spending my life.

Self-care helps prevent burnout, reduces the negative psychological and physical effects of stress and helps you refocus on what is true and important. To reap the benefits of self-care, you need to recognize and understand the need for it and then discover what it means for you personally.

Here are 7 self-care habits you should definitely explore if you’re looking to consciously stay calm and feel balanced in your life:

Journal: An unexamined life is not worth living. Writing things down deliberately is a great way to assess your life, meditate and remain conscious of what is going on in it.

Keeping a journal is not just about recording your feelings. It could as well be useful for creating a gratitude log, tracking your habits or even analyzing your goals.

Speak to friends: Reaching out to friends virtually or even spending time physically is a great way to relieve stress and receive support in difficult times.

When we are stressed, even a few words of encouragement from those we love can go a long way in making us feel safer and connected.

Stay healthy: Your physical health is a vital part of self-care you need to deliberately invest in. Self-care is not only doing the things you enjoy, but also acknowledging the things you need.

So spend time making simple, healthy meals for yourself. Eat more fruits. Work out and stretch. Drink adequate water. Take a nap. Walk more.

Disconnect from screens: You can easily get distracted from what is going on in your life when you are often preoccupied with technology.

You need to be intentional about the time you spend on social media in order to focus better and bring positive value to your life.

Practice a hobby: While being active does not usually come up as self-care, learning a new skill or maintaining old interests can be of extra help in self-care.

Spending time on these activities outside of your normal schedule will continuously help boost your energy, positivity and creativity.

Read a book: Pick up a book, not necessarily because you have to; but because you’re truly interested in the subject matter. Immerse yourself in the story or concept and engage your memory, cognitive function and empathy.

To learn more about the many benefits of reading fiction, check out this video Fiction vs Non-fiction on YouTube.

Spend with intention: Most people are used to buying stuff just because they feel like it and then end up accumulating a lot of unnecessary belongings.

Learn to purchase only things that will last, enhance your quality of life and genuinely contribute to your happiness.

It is necessary to discover what self-care strategies work for you as a person and dedicate your time to developing them. For you, self-care could simply mean watching a movie, drinking tea, spending time outside in nature or listening to relaxing music like the ones you can find here.

By now, you should have a self-care action plan you’re excited to get started on. Self-care is an ongoing journey and should not be limited to certain days. You should rather look for ways to incorporate it into your daily schedule and follow through on your decision to intentionally take better care of your physical and mental health.

If you’re up to it, check out my post on Essentialism to find out how to be intentional with your life by focusing on what is truly important and valuable to you.

What self-care habits are you ready to explore this week? Let me know in the comments.