Who Has Time For Self-Care? You Do

"Here are a few tips for more easily achievable self-care.

1. Engaging in physical activity.

It can take the form of a vigorous, 25-minute walks three times a week, 30 minutes of yoga twice a week, or working out at home. Regular exercise has many benefits, including stress relief, decreased blood pressure, and an enhanced immune system. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does require a regular commitment and a personal investment in oneself.

2. Mindful practices, such as meditation.

Mindfulness can be defined as an individual’s ability to be aware and present in the moment while also acknowledging and accepting their feelings, thoughts, and body sensations. In a mixed-methods study, Crowder and Sears (2017) found that mindfulness-based interventions elicited a positive change in participants’ attitudes and perspectives, behavior, and energy, which contributed to a decrease in the participants’ perceived stress.

3. Mini de-stressing breaks.

If you have a timeframe of only two, five, or ten minutes, you can still take a mini-restorative break.

For instance, with two minutes, you could engage in a series of cleansing breaths, make a cup of tea, or get up and stretch. With 5 minutes, you could read a favorite poem or a set of quotations, chat with a co-worker, or eat a healthy snack (if you work from home, take a break outside, sing, or dance). A 10-minute timeframe means you could try to squeeze in a quick walk, greet a friend by email, or write in a journal.

In sum, it's one thing to know what activities can rejuvenate us and “really work,” and it’s another thing to actually do those activities. Here are a few questions to consider as we prepare for a new year:

• What do you do to take care of yourself?
• Do you see yourself as deserving of the investment of the time and energy necessary to be able to engage in effective self-care?
• What is one thing that you will try this week that will help you recharge?"

Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!

Reflection:

Do you carve out some time for self-care?

#Self-care #Stress #Mindfulness