Do you ever feel like life is moving at warp speed and you hardly have time to catch your breath? If so, you probably think you don’t have time for self-care. In truth, that’s exactly why you need it.
Self-care helps you feel calm and centered. When you’re not stressed out and mentally overloaded, you can see the big picture and make choices that reflect your values, rather than letting time- and energy-constraints rule your decision-making. It’s important for feeling mentally balanced in the day-to-day and for maintaining good mental health for life.
Self-care needn’t be complicated, but it does require focused effort. If you don’t carve out time and space for self-care, you’ll quickly fall back into the habit of rushing through life without a sense of where you’re headed.
The most effective self-care strategies are those that make you feel energized, emotionally balanced and in tune with yourself. That may look different from person-to-person, but there are some things all people should include in their self-care plan.
Look After Your Health
Stress is more than an emotional state. Stress has a profound impact on physical and mental health, especially when the stress is chronic.
Good health habits counteract those health effects and increase your body’s resilience to stress so that everyday stressors don’t develop into a chronic health issue. A balanced diet, daily exercise and restful sleep form the basis of good health for all people.
Create a Peaceful Home
A home is a refuge from the pressures of life. It should be a place where you feel calm, not worried about everything you have to do. If you find you struggle to relax at home, consider if your home environment is the cause.
Disorganized environments overstimulate your mind, making it difficult to focus on one thing. A messy home also keeps you from fully relaxing because you’re surrounded by visual reminders of undone work. Eventually, this leads to frustration and stress. If it’s not addressed, chronic stress and associated health problems may develop.
‘Decluttering and parting with items that don’t bring you joy is the first step toward a more peaceful home environment. However, many people find it difficult to part with items, even when it’s something that has sat unused for years. If you find yourself struggling to let go, box up belongings that are on the chopping block and keep them in self-storage, which can be rented for the short-term and are fairly inexpensive ( 5’x5’ units in Santa Clara, California, average $48.29 per month). After a month or two, you’ll likely realize you can live without the excess and will feel more prepared to part ways with whatever you’ve stored.
Be Intentional About Relaxation
When you’re feeling burnt out, it’s tempting to camp out in front of the television and shut off your mind for an evening. However, watching TV isn’t the best way to relax and reset your mind, Vice reports.
Rather than vegging out, seek active, intentional ways to relax. Yoga is an excellent example of intentional relaxation. Rather than powering down your mind, yoga switches your brain’s focus to mindfulness. This both relaxes you in the moment and improves your ability to cope with difficult thoughts and feelings in everyday life. If you want to change your life, take up yoga. And if you are just a beginner, it’s time to go pro. Esha Yoga in Santa Clara has all the facilities you would require to gain a definitive edge. Look up our schedule for the most convenient time suited to you. And if you have further clarifications, feel free to call. We would be happy to hear from you.
It’s not easy to change habits, especially if you’ve been existing in the rat race for years. However, it’s important to recognize that integrating self-care into your life doesn’t mean giving up success in other areas. In fact, it’s through making self-care a priority that you can increase your ability to stay focused, overcome challenges and give life your all.