7 ways to bring self-care into your busy day

How are you feeling today? What were your first thoughts when you woke up this morning?

Were they, “Oh no! Another day! Will I ever get through this? I have so much to achieve!” or “I am going to get through my to-do list today. I can do this as well as I look after myself.”

If your thoughts were the latter, you have the right mindset for self-care.

We all have busy lifestyles, some more than others. No matter how busy you are we need to also look after ourselves. If we don’t it may be detrimental to your mental health. This is key if we want to reduce stress, improve mood, increase productivity, and prevent burnout.

Mental Health Awareness Week

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week from 15th to 21st May 2023 and the theme is ‘Anxiety’. Most of us do feel anxious at times at work due to our busy workloads which may include deadlines to meet, presentations to give, and a long to-do list.

Feeling anxious can be a good thing when we get our adrenalin going to help us achieve many tasks successfully. On the other hand, we don’t want the feeling of anxiety to become negative, where we are not productive because the anxiety takes over our thoughts. One way to help when anxiety becomes too much is to practice the technique of self-care.

Psychologists Scheier and Carver proved that optimistic thinkers can cope better with anxiety, are happier, and spend more time focusing on what can change and improve. Optimistic people tend to practice self-care as they realise they need positives in their life as well as being busy.

Here are 7 Ways to Bring Self-Care into your Busy Day

1)     Identify why self-care is important to you. Remember that self-care is not selfish, and taking care of yourself is essential for your well-being. Be kind to yourself and take the time you need to recharge and feel refreshed as self-care can help reduce stress, improve mood, increase productivity, and prevent burnout. Always REMEMBER YOUR WHY!

2)     Identify what self-care means to you. Self-care means different things to different people, so it's essential to identify what it means to you. It could be anything from taking a relaxing bath to spending time in nature, reading a book, or practicing mindfulness meditation.

3)     Plan your self-care. Once you have identified what self-care means to you, make time for it. Schedule it in your calendar, and make it a priority, just like any other appointment.

4)     Make a list of self-care activities. Create a list of self-care activities that you enjoy and that can help you relax and recharge. This could include anything from taking a walk, practicing yoga, listening to music, or cooking a healthy meal. If you need help with this, you may like to look at my book, Emotional Fitness: A-Z for Positive Mental Health. It is an activity book to help you bring activities into your life every day for self-care and emotional fitness. Here is the link for you to grab a copy.

5)     Make self-care a regular habit. Prioritise your self-care activities regularly, try engaging in similar activities, and choose a consistent time to do them every day. For example, if you decide to do yoga in the morning, try to do it every day at the same time. As a result, your brain will begin to associate that time with your yoga practice, making it easier to stick to the habit.

6)     Embrace friends to support your self-care. Having friends who understand and support your self-care goals can provide a sense of social support. This can be particularly important during challenging times or when trying to form new habits. When you share your self-care goals with friends, they can offer encouragement, remind you of your goals, and even participate in self-care activities with you. Remember, spending time with friends, laughing, and engaging in enjoyable activities can be an excellent way to relax and recharge. This can be an important aspect of self-care, as it allows us to take a break from stress and focus on positive experiences.

7)     Practice gratitude. This can reduce stress, increase positive emotions, promote mindfulness, improve relationships, and boost self-esteem. All of these can be important components of a self-care routine.

Bring self-care into your busy day and increase your overall sense of well-being. Incorporate it into your daily routine—that’s taking an important step towards maintaining good mental health and emotional fitness.

If this is something you and your team would like to promote in your workplace, then feel free to chat with me as I am currently delivering workshops for Managers on Bringing Self-Care into the Workplace for their Teams. Learn more about these workshops by clicking here.

Clare Davis, the CEO and Founder of Nova Associates is a management and mental health trainer, coach, author, and facilitator who works with individuals and organisations to help them use their focus to bring out untapped potential in the workplace. Clare shows through real-world examples how the valuable skills that each person brings to your organisation can help your mission. To find out more about how you can manage anxiety within your team, schedule a free Strategy Call and let her assist you to bring self-care and positivity to your workplace.