Practicing Self-Care

In the fast-paced, high-energy world we live in, self-care has seemed to be a topic that has gone out the window. We seem to have evolved into a culture that takes pride in the fact that we spent last night without getting any sleep, and have worked ourselves into the ground. It’s a cycle of never-ending perfectionism. I recently discovered how life changing it can be to simply take a step away from it all and really focus on self-care. If you focus on loving and nourishing yourself first, you will be able to give more (and better quality) of yourself to your relationships, work, and other commitments. So I hope you benefit from the following tips and really take them to heart – you never know what a life-changing affect they may have.

1. Try Adding Yoga To Your Weekly Routine

I personally do a brief yoga and meditation session each night as part of my nightly routine. Not only do I see benefits in my body, I also feel incredibly relaxed and centered as a result of taking a few minutes out of my schedule to practice this mindful form of exercise. Studies have shown that practicing yoga has many health benefits. Some of which can include stress relief (which I can personally attest to), improved energy, weight reduction, and improved concentration (to name a few). If you don’t already do yoga, I would definitely recommend trying it out and make it a regular part of your routine.

2. Take A Relaxing Bath Before Bed

I’ve just recently started doing this after being under a lot of stress and it’s done wonders! I treated myself to some fun new Lush bath bombs and lavender essential oils. I’m actually not a huge bath person, so I’ll lounge in the bath for about 15 minutes (I just don’t understand how people sit in a bath for longer than this) with some soothing music, lather up in some lavender lotion, and call it a night. The scent of lavender is known to have stress-relief benefits and calming affects which really helps you get a better night’s sleep. If you’re looking for an easy and fun self-care tip, this is definitely one to try adding to your nightly routine.

3. Explore Essential Oils

This is also something I’ve just recently started trying out. I’m not an essential oils guru, but I bought this little beginners set from Amazon I’ll use lavender or peppermint oil when I take a bath (for stress relief). I’ve also seen an improvement in my skin by using some lemongrass and tea tree oil on my face. I use the orange oil mixed with a little bit of perfume to boost my energy. Since I’ve just started using these, I can’t speak with upmost credibility as to whether or not these benefits are long-lasting, but I’ve definitely been enjoying using essential oils and think it is a great way to add a little self-care to your life.

4. Focus On Getting A Good Night’s Sleep

The quality of your sleep habits has a huge impact on the rest of your health. Not only should you aim to get the right amount of sleep (about 8 hours a night), you should also focus on the quality of sleep you’re getting. Some tips to improve your sleep include doing something relaxing before bed (don’t go straight from doing work to hopping right into bed). Turn off your screens at least an hour before bed (or at least turn on night mode so you don’t have the blue light flashing in your eyes before you sleep). Make sure your room is dark and at a good temperature for you to sleep comfortably. Finally, try doing some of the things above such as a relaxing yoga routine, taking a bath, or lathering up in lavender lotion before bed. Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best (but overlooked) ways of investing in your health and yourself.

5. Eat Clean & Exercise

I know, I know, this one is a no-brainer and probably the most annoying tip given by physicians and health blogs over and over, but it’s so true. Eating healthy and getting proper exercise is one of the best ways to take care of yourself and nourish your personal health. You don’t have to radically transform your current diet and exercise routine (no one is gonna go from eating fried chicken and being a couch potato every night to magically eating kale salads and doing CrossFit). Start by simply picking one goal to improve your diet and exercise routine. Maybe it’s adding a vegetable to dinner or taking a 30 minute walk each night. Or maybe it is eating kale salad and doing CrossFit more. You know your body and yourself best – just make sure the health goals you are setting for yourself are realistic and start small so you can truly stick with them.

6. Don’t Feel Guilty For Splurging A Little

There’s nothing better to invest in than your health. Whether you spend a little extra money to improve your physical, mental, or emotional health, you shouldn’t feel guilty for spending money on something that is going to improve your life. Whether it’s a relaxing massage when you’ve had a very stressful week, a gym membership, or food from the organic section of the store (gasp!) you are so worth it!

7. Schedule Your Self-Care

If you’re like me, if it’s not in the schedule it’s not happening. I have to be very mindful about planning my self-care. So if you’re planning to implement one of the above tips or a self-care tip of your own, make sure to add it into your schedule. Actually carve out space in your planner for “self-care time.” Think of it as an appointment you’re making with yourself.

These are all the self-care tips I personally practice regularly, but I would love to hear from you if you have some tips of your own. I am always looking for ways to improve my health.