Taking time for yourself can be a tough task, even though it sounds easy. It’s pretty tricky to find the time as it can be seen as a “waste of time” until one reaches burnout. But I recommend finding something that works and that is sustainable. Here are plenty of ideas to try out until coming across something that might work. Try implementing a couple in a weekly routine of some sort.
Just like that quote from Hilary Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, self-care comes from within first. Hilary was always a very confident character and was a positive figure as she showed affirmations (in an extreme way for the show’s comedic purposes) but the point still stands. It is beneficial to first look at oneself and assess and reflect. Notice the best features and what one might like most. Gain that confidence from within.
Other key parts for self-care:
- Sleep. Having a solid sleep schedule can really make a difference.
- Exercise. It could be something simple like taking a walk outside, or following a guided yoga session. Anything to move your body.
- Spending time with yourself (reflecting)
- Setting proper boundaries with others
- Meditation. Focusing on your thoughts and your breath really helps with staying grounded.
- Do something that makes you happy, it could be absolutely anything.
- Cleanse — Without your phone or on social media
After doing all of the above, one can then branch out and start doing external work on themselves if they still need that extra time with themselves. Some ideas are represented in the image below.
