A Self-Care Schedule

Self care is as important as anything else in your life and may even be what everything else stems from. When you have a self care schedule in place, you’re showing your body and mind some love, finding it easier to forgive your faults and build healthy relationships with others. Here is an example of a self care routine that you may find useful.

Morning

Many people find a guided or active meditation highly beneficial as a jump-start to the day. If you’re new to meditation, start with just three minutes when you first wake up, adjusting as needed to find the time of day and length of meditation that works best for you.

The morning is also the time to make yourself a filling, fulfilling, and healthy breakfast. After all, food is part of self care too. 

Afternoon

Throughout the day, remember to take small breaks from your work. Some ideas for self care may include: stretching, going for a walk, having an afternoon tea, reading a chapter of your book, or enjoying a cuddle session with your pet. Although you may need to get eight hours of your workday in, short 10-minute breaks can give your body the respite it needs to recharge for the rest of your shift.

Remember, too, that lunch and some healthy snacks like nuts, seeds, fruit, and raw vegetables, are important to keeping your body fueled into the evening.

Evening

The evening is your time to decompress from your day. Consider incorporating a skincare routine or luxurious bath. If you’re still feeling lively, include dancing to your favorite music while you prepare dinner into your self care schedule. 

It’s important to do what feels best to you and find time throughout the day to execute your self care plan, even if it’s only 15 minutes. Help yourself to know that you’re worthy of care and attention.

At-Home Self Care Techniques

Self care, for many, is a foreign concept because we can get so caught up in our everyday responsibilities that we forget to take the time to care for our needs. To establish your own self care routine, here are three techniques you can start implementing today.

Go Screen-Free

If you’re like most of the world, you may aimlessly check through your phone more often than you’d like. One easy self care technique you can implement is to consciously step away from your screen. Try leaving your phone in another room when you’re sleeping so you aren’t tempted to scroll if you wake up in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning. 

Establish a Good Sleep Schedule

A good sleep schedule can improve your mood, reduce stress, empower your immune system by reducing inflammation, and even boost your memory. Aim for a consistent seven to nine hours per night. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day so your body can more easily fall into a normal sleep-wake schedule. While you sleep, manifest abundance. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be amazed at the energy you have and how ready you’ll feel to conquer the day each morning.

Eat Whole Foods

For many, food is medicine. What we eat daily can have a strong impact on our health, mood, and more. To make your meals part of your self care plan, try to eat a healthy balance of nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. It’s also important to drink the recommended eight cups of water throughout the day.

Ultimately, learning how to take care of yourself can heal your soul because it’s rooted in what your body and mind tell you. Maybe self care looks like a bubble bath while reading your favorite book, or a meditation session in a dark room. Your body and mind are telling you what they want — all you have to do is listen.

How To Meditate

Meditation has been around for thousands of years Originally handed down from generation to generation. The english word, meditation, is based on a latin word meaning ‘to ponder.’ But, you do not need to be a yogi seated in an ashram for hours and hours to benefit. 

Modern meditation is a proven and powerful tool that has many health and life benefits including stress reduction. A basic meditation can be broken down into a few simple steps:

  1. find a desired location 
  2. get comfortable
  3. close your eyes
  4. take deep breaths
  5. quiet your mind and relax

Start with a short time, up to 5 minutes, then work your way up to longer times that fit best for you. Many find meditation upon waking to be helpful. Find the ways meditation helps you the most. 

It is important to be focused and present in the moment. This is not the time to respond to emails or try to get other things done. If distracting thoughts pop up, simply say ‘thank you’ and let them pass like a cloud in the sky.  

Enjoy this process of taking care of yourself. The more you practice meditation, the easier it will be and it will become a beneficial habit of self-care.