How to Focus on Self-Care
Do you ever feel like you’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off? I know the feeling, and I know so many others can relate.
Between trying to keep up with busy schedules and getting caught up in the day-to-day of life, it’s easy to forget about our own needs. Have you asked yourself recently what you enjoy doing? Not your significant other, not your best friend, not even your friends and family. I challenge you to ask yourself what puts you at ease and brightens your day.
I can’t be the only one who has scheduled time on my calendar for self-care but ends up mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, right? What happened to our kid selves when we would play outside with our neighbors, begging our parents for 10 more minutes of play time before dinner? We didn’t even think about dinner because we were so distracted by something we truly loved doing.
The point I’m trying to make is that if you truly love to do something, you won’t be distracted by a work email or an Instagram notification. Take a few minutes to write down the things you truly look forward to and experiment with new activities. These are some of my favorites, fit for every budget:
Below are a few of my favorite self-care activities:
Manicure and pedicure
Cooking or baking while listening to a podcast
Reading a novel
30-minute cardio/strength workout
Free-writing
Walking or biking around the neighborhood
I know what you’re thinking: “How will I fit this into my schedule?” My advice is to figure out what your mind, body, and soul need. Based on your needs that week, schedule it into your calendar, a little trick I like to call “time-blocking.”
For example, you might want to try out scheduling “free writing” in your calendar from 7 am to 7:20 am on Monday. If you felt this self-care activity was helpful and enjoyable, you might end up scheduling it for the next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
I recommend starting small and building on practices that best serve you over time. Keep in mind that you should be focusing on progress, not perfection — perfectionism can be a roadblock, after all. The goal here is to allow yourself to be flexible and adapt based on what works and doesn’t work for you.
At the end of the day, taking time for yourself will allow you to be the best version of yourself you can be.