Are you drowning in stress with no end in sight?
If you answered yes, I regret to inform you that you are a part of the rising number of stressed out people heading down a path that leads to burnout.
You’ve been living with overwhelm for months and trying to crush deadlines to no avail so, what gives? What’s the missing piece and why is everyone else living their best life yet you are just stuck?
The truth is that somewhere along the lines you got so wrapped up in everyone else’s needs that you forgot about your own. The remedy has been sitting on the tip of your tongue for months, so I’ll just say it for you:
“Decrease Your Stress By Increasing Self-Care.”
It sounds simple, but I know that this is definitely one of those easier said than done scenarios. So, to eliminate the guesswork, I’ve come up with five winning tips to help you kickstart your self-care journey.
Tip #1: Define Wellness
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, wellness is the quality or state of being in good health especially as an actively sought goal.
Based on this definition, wellness could mean something different to everyone. So, the question really is: what does wellness mean to you?
Take some time to explore your answer and possibly write it down in your journal. I am a huge advocate of journaling as it’s a great way to keep track of your ideas and your growth when taking on new tasks.
Tip #2: Set Wellness Goals
As with any journey, it’s important to be clear about where you are going and what you hope to achieve to ensure that you stay on track. A great way to do this is to determine what your end goal is before you begin.
Most wellness goals will usually fall into one of four categories: physical wellness, mental wellness, emotional wellness and spiritual wellness.
You can start setting goals by simply writing down what your wellness needs are and then separate them into the categories above. If after you’ve made your list, you find that all of your goals only fit into one category, that’s okay, but you can take it a step further and explore how you could experience more growth in other areas as well.
There is no right or wrong with your list, just be very specific, honest and brave about your goals because, let’s face it, if you’re reading this, you are definitely interested in self-development.
Want to get started? Download the Self-Care Startup Worksheet at Avoshea Online here
Tip #3: Create A List Of Self-Care Activities
Which wellness activities intrigue you? Or what is that activity that you used to do and have been trying to get back into? There are so many choices right in your neighbourhood or better yet, right in your home. Take some time to think about it and then create a list of your top 10. Once your list is complete, reflect back on your self-care goals to ensure you have something on your list to meet all of your needs. To get started, here’s a few different options:
- Massage Therapy
- Movement Therapy
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Weight training
- Exercise classes
- Walking
- Dancing
- Listening to music
- Reading
- Journaling
- Writing
- Time spent with your family and friends
- Time spent with your spouse or intimate partner
- Quiet time
- Healthy eating
- Watching a movie
Don’t let the fear of the unknown hold you back from trying something new, feel free to step outside of your comfort zone if you have to.
Tip #4: Evaluate How Much Time You Can Realistically Dedicate To Self-Care
So, you’ve defined wellness, set goals and figured out which activities you want to participate in. Now, it’s time to evaluate how much time you can realistically dedicate to self-care. A great way to do this is to break your daily tasks into shifts and then see where you can practice self-care in each shift. Here’s a sample for inspiration with self-care moments in bold:
| 6am-8am Wake up shift: | 30 mins: Practice gratitude + yoga 40 mins: Wake up children and get them ready + morning hygiene and get dressed for work 30 mins: Prepare breakfast and eat 15 mins: Share and state daily affirmations with kids 5 mins: See kids off to school |
| 8am-12pm Morning shift: | 15 mins: Meditation 30 mins: Listen podcast or audiobook while driving to work 15 mins: Get organized at desk to start workday 2.75 hours: Work 15 mins: Walk around on break time |
| 12pm-5pm Afternoon shift: | 60 mins: Have lunch with friends 3.75 hours: Work 15 mins: Check social media on break |
| 5pm-9pm Evening shift: | 30 mins: Enjoy quiet time while driving to the gym 45 mins: Weight training at the gym + stretching 15 mins: Listen to music while driving home 60 mins: Make dinner 90 mins: Eat and spend quality time with family |
| 9pm-11pm Bedtime shift: | 30 mins: Get kids ready for bed 30 mins: Tidy up kitchen + Prep lunches for next day 30 mins: night time hygiene 30 mins: Read and wind down for bed |
While this sample allocates 6.25 hours of intentional self-care time, you can make your shifts into whatever you want.
Give it a try first with just your daily tasks and you will be surprised at how much free time you actually have throughout the day. This might explain the daydreaming and social media comas you frequently experience. Not that anything is wrong with some social media or daydreaming, but you can fill in these gaps with self-care to be more productive with your time.
Tip #5: Book Your Self-care Time In Your Calendar
Are you the type of person who has to write down all of your daily tasks to ensure that you complete them?
If you answered yes, how many of your daily tasks involve self-care?
If you answered none, it’s time to start booking time for yourself into your busy calendars as you would any other important event.
You dedicate so much time to doing things for other people, are you not worthy of a spot in your calendar?
I think so! I recommend adding all of your daily, weekly and monthly self-care tasks to your calendar with alerts as a reminder to prioritize self-care periodically throughout your day. Even if you just set aside 5 minutes to take a breath in silence, schedule it in your calendar and stick to it. Before you know it, it’ll be a new habit.
Wrapping It Up
So, there you have it, five winning tips to kick off this long-awaited transformation. I’m excited for you and I am confident that the best is yet to come.
Be educated, Be empowered and Be encouraged!
Are you ready to start your journey? Share your stories below.
