Are you intrigued by the thought of having a self-care routine but have no idea how to get started? Or are you concerned that having a self-care routine will take time away from your loved ones? Read on for some tips on how to start self-care today!
7 tips to get started:
1 – First, schedule time to do something for yourself every single day. It doesn’t have to be a long period of time, but you do need to schedule it or it will not happen. When to take this time for yourself varies from person to person. Early morning, before other family members get up, works for some. If you are a stay-at-home mom or a work-from-home mom, your time might be scheduled when the kids leave for school or after preschool drop-off. If you have young children who still nap, that time might be best for you. If you do not have children, your me-time might be when you first come home from work. Scheduling for the evening or before bedtime might work for you. The key thing is to find a time and schedule it. If that time frame continually gets interrupted, choose a different time block and try that. But make sure that your time gets added to your busy schedule, every single day. No excuses!
2 – Develop a morning routine of habits and rituals that you enjoy and that start your day off right. Some ideas: play music, drink water, spend a few moments in silence or meditate, do some form of exercise, read something that inspires you for the day, set goals, write in a journal, use good-smelling products for your shower and hair. See my post for more ideas here.
3 – Develop an evening routine of habits and rituals that you enjoy, that help bring a peaceful closure to your day and that set the stage for healthy sleep. Some ideas: do some gentle exercise (like taking a walk or doing some yoga poses), get some fresh air, meditate, write a letter to or call someone you love, drink some hot tea, plan the next day, think about your goals and what you might do to work on those tomorrow, read something relaxing, take a bath or shower. See my post for more ideas here.
4 – Speaking of sleep, do whatever you can do to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. If that is not possible, try to schedule a brief nap time for yourself in the afternoons. Sleep is so important but is the first thing we sacrifice when we have so many demands on our time.
5 – Unplug, at least from social media and work email. Have a set time of the day when you do not check social media and you don’t even read work emails.
6 – Develop a gratitude ritual. This could be part of your morning or evening routine. I like to use the 5-Minute Journal. Just take 30 seconds to think about or to list 5 things for which you are grateful. I do this both morning and evening. It helps keep you focused on all the good in your life, it develops a positive mindset, and it relieves stress!
7 – Reward yourself every day, but think about using positive rewards. While it’s fine to treat yourself to a favorite food or adult beverage from time to time, try not to make that a daily reward. Think of other rewards that make you happy: a bubble bath, time to curl up and read whatever you want to read, spending time outside, walking your dog, calling a good friend or favorite family member, buying some fresh flowers.
Self-care is so necessary for us to be our best selves for the other people in our lives. Try some of these tips today and add on when you feel ready to try something new!
For more ideas, see my Pinterest board of self-care tips!