Self-care can be one of the first things to drop off the end of the ‘to-do’ list when we’re busy. It’s really tempting to think it’s not necessary, and that we need to do other things first.
Experts say self-care is a must for mental health, so how do you find the time when you are a busy professional?
Take Time to Exercise
A little exercise to reduce stress will go a long way. Even a short morning stroll will boost your energy and inspiration for the day ahead. Set your alarm a little earlier than normal and hit the pavement. Save time by preparing the night before the exercise.
How? By choosing what you will wear and keeping other necessary items, such as headphones, a snack and a water bottle, where you can easily grab them. The idea is to get moving as soon as your alarm rings without spending too much time preparing.
Keep Healthcare Appointments
Have an appointment to see your doctor? Schedule it into your calendar and plan to keep the appointment. Do not postpone it because you are busy.
Or perhaps you need to see a doctor last minute, but you are too busy to wait around all day at a doctor’s office waiting to be seen? In that case, invest in a private health insurance plan so that in the future you can fast track your doctor’s appointments and see a specialist sooner, allowing you to put your mind at ease without disrupting your working life too much.
As the wise saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
Eat Right
There is so much information on nutrition and eating well out there that it seems to be everywhere you look. A lot of the time it can seem like eating healthy and nutritious meals requires a lot of effort, which is why it seems a lot easier to get fast food when you’re busy – saving time and energy for other things. But – not all foods are created equal.
Your food preferences have a direct effect on your physical and mental health, so choosing your food carefully is crucial. To know the right food to eat, you should talk to a nutritionist and visit trusted sources of health information online, such as government health websites.
Practice Meditation
Meditation is the perfect way to get in touch with your instincts and listen to yourself. Many achievers in the world credit meditation as an important practice in their daily routine. Not only that, but it can have great benefits for your brain and body
Try to set up an area within your home (or even your office) where you can sit in peace and quiet and really focus on your practice – even if it is only for a few minutes a day.
Squeeze in a Few Breaks into Your Schedule
Don’t forget to plan some “me” time into your day, so that you’re not going absolutely nuts. Take a short walk, listen to some music in your car. Doing so can greatly reduce your stress to remove yourself from the work environment for even 10 to 15 minutes.
Lastly, Ask for Help
However, busy you are, whatever happens in your lives, we are important. If you need it, support is always available. You have to put yourselves first sometimes and incorporating any of these tiny suggestions of self-care in your day will help keep you in tune.
