You take care of your friend when they call you with a problem. You cover for your colleague at when they are caught in a limbo. You help care for your family when they are in need, and even when they aren’t. You take care of your partner’s need. But what about your own needs?
Self-care is important
Many people fail to show up for themselves. They construe self-care as being selfish or unnecessary. The martyr complex sure doesn’t help. The issue is more complicated with women, as they are generally saddled with more responsibility and the society has conditioned them to be always in a care-giver mode.
However, self-care is anything but selfish. Just as you consider others worthy of consideration, you, yourself also deserve to indulge in activities that come under the ambit of self-care.
The intention of these practices is to ensure that the stressors in your life do not get the best of you. Not only does it then have a grave impact on the quality of your life, but it also has implications for mental health, some even meriting treatment from the Best Psychiatrist in Lahore.
Having stronger mind also then helps in improving your physical health as well. Alongside catering to your emotional wellbeing, self-care also aids in improving your mood as well.
Self-care also helps in increasing your confidence in our abilities. It is also a great way to increase your productivity as well. Naturally, when you are happy, you are also better able to deal with the relationships in your life as well.
Tips for self-care
Board games
When was the last time you turned to board games? Rather than making your free time just about Netflixing, try to play board games with friends and family. The social contact is good, a round of games is great, and you get to unwind.
Exercise
Although exercise might not be everyone’s notion of self-care, but it is a must. It nurtures the mind and the body. Exercise also aids in improving your mood and quality of life.
Therefore, do not skip on a good yoga or a cardio session. There are plenty of exercises to choose from, so just take a pick of the one that you are most comfortable doing.
Pamper yourself
There is nothing wrong with getting your manicure done or spending a day at the spa. You do you!
Perhaps, a little less coffee
There is nothing wrong with enjoying a cup or two of coffee. In fact, in moderation, caffeine is rather good for you. Alongside improving your focus and attention, it also helps in keeping your heart strong.
However, too much of caffeine is not good for you. Apart from interrupting your sleep, it can also make you jittery and drain your energy as well. Hence, try to keep caffeine to a minimum, or perhaps switch to decaf if the craving is too much.
Sleep is not a luxury
Unfortunately, sleep is often deemed as a luxury. Due to the busy lives we lead, we often have to cut back on our sleep. However, not only does lack of sleep jeopardize your physical health, but mental health as well.
Adults need around 7-9 hours of sleep. So, make sure that you pack as many. Consider it as an act of self-care if snoozing the alarm is making you very guilty.
Work on your mental health
A salient part of self-care is ensuring that your mental health isn’t suffering. There are various factors that can jeopardize your mental peace, including stress, anxiety, lack of self-esteem, work-related tension, traumatic experiences, abuse etc.
If you think you are facing issues with your mental health, don’t shrug them off. Work with a mental health expert, whom you can book via oladoc.com, and address these issues. Partake in activities like journaling, affirmations etc. as a form of self-care to improve your health.