"Love Yourself first and everything else falls into line"
Are you too busy to take care of yourself? Does the famous line 'I don't have time' works in your case too where you are not able to do things that you personally enjoy and is good for your health? If Yes, then start preaching the above quote on a daily basis as for me Self-Care is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
However, we also need to figure out that everything that feels good can not be termed as Self-Care. For instance, having junk food is enjoyed by many people and they may indulge in this practice frequently by calling it Self-Care. But such practices only provide temporary relief and satisfaction and can lead to long term damage on our health. I am not highlighting to stop having these things, but a person is responsible for his own health and should know when to stop back.
The above list is a few parameters I have imbibed in my life and so far it's working good for me. My adrenaline rush has reduced and I have become much more patient in dealing things in life. Don't procrastinate and start including things in your lifestyle that makes you happy and is good for your health.
Are you too busy to take care of yourself? Does the famous line 'I don't have time' works in your case too where you are not able to do things that you personally enjoy and is good for your health? If Yes, then start preaching the above quote on a daily basis as for me Self-Care is very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
What Self-Care Means To Me
In simple words, Self-Care is taking care of myself both physically and mentally. There is a sense of positive vibe if I am physically and mentally fine and this has a direct impact on my relationships, work and health. I am more resilient to cope with life's stress if I am happy and feeling good.However, we also need to figure out that everything that feels good can not be termed as Self-Care. For instance, having junk food is enjoyed by many people and they may indulge in this practice frequently by calling it Self-Care. But such practices only provide temporary relief and satisfaction and can lead to long term damage on our health. I am not highlighting to stop having these things, but a person is responsible for his own health and should know when to stop back.
Defining the Priorities
People usually have their set of priorities to do their tasks. When a person says I don't have time for a particular thing, he actually means the task is least important and does not fit in his priorities list. However, he will always take out time for new things if it matches with his interest no matter how occupied he is with his current tasks. But sometimes this may impact your health even though you like doing it. It happened with me as well, especially after becoming a mother, when I did not take proper rest and was frequently surfing net to learn new things for the betterment of my daughter. This impacted my health in the form of irritation, mood swings, impatience, etc.
I realised the importance of Self-Care and I redefined my priorities to include it in my lifestyle. Now a days despite the busy schedule, I try to follow few things that makes me happy and at the same time makes me physically and mentally strong.
My Ways of Practicing Self-Care
Self-Care is a very broad term and there are many different practices which varies depending on an individual's personality. Below is a list of things I have incorporated in my life to take care of myself:
- Taking Proper Rest: After becoming a mother your sleeping clock revolves around your child's sleeping pattern. Initially, there were many days when my daughter used to getup frequently at night and I was not able to get enough sleep. That was a difficult time and my advice to all upcoming mothers is to stay patient and try to sleep whenever you get an opportunity. Now I try to take atleast 8 hours of sleep on a consistent basis.
- Exercise: I have joined a yoga and aerobics class which takes place thrice a week. I really enjoy this one hour workout as it provides a break from my regular day-to-day activities and at the same time I am able to work on my fitness.
- Meeting Friends at Regular Intervals: Post becoming a mother I hardly had the time and luxury to meet my close friends. I used to connect with them on phone or video calls but I still missed being with them. But now I meet them with my daughter on a more consistent basis and spending time with them is a great stressbuster for all of us.
- Taking a Vacation: Both I and my husband like travelling, especially in the mountain areas. The advantage of staying in Delhi is also the proximity to the hilly areas where we don't need much planning and can easily spend a weekend there. We try to take small vacations whenever we feel the need and this gives us a much needed break from our everyday routine.
- Having a Me' Time: I try to take out some Me Time as well where I unplug myself from the outside world and I blog, draw and colour (read my earlier post on how Colouring can be a great stressbuster: https://www.mysecondinnings.in/2018/08/colouring-stress-buster-therapy.html), read a book, or sometimes reassess the things going on in my life. This is the most simple and basic practice that I have integrated in my life.
