The Importance of Self Care

Self care is easier said than done for many busy individuals. In the busy shuffle of life, prioritizing yourself and caring for one’s mind and body can often be forgotten about. However, in order to be our best selves; excelling in careers, fostering healthy relationships, and finding happiness in life, it is important to make time for self care.

So what does self care look like? It can be very different for each person. I like to separate it into two categories. Physical self care and mental self care. Let’s start with some examples of what physical self care can look like. Exercise and moving your body is a form of physical self care. Cardiovascular activity can be a great tool to disconnect from our daily lives, put on a good playlist, and do something great for your body. It also boosts endorphins, bettering mood and energy levels. Strength training and weight lifting has many benefits. It will enhance your body composition and increase your strength. Yoga is a low impact exercise, allowing you to mentally focus throughout practice, getting in tune with your breathing and your body. Listening to your body and moving it in the way your body needs is encouraged throughout the practice, along with mindful breathing. Yoga is one of my personal favorite exercise-based self care activities, I always leave a class feeling fulfilled mentally and physically. 

Nutrition and fueling our bodies with healthy, delicious food is another great strategy to practice self care. We all remember the phrase “you are what you eat”. Though not literally, theoretically this is true, more in the sense “you feel like what you eat”. Think about the last time you ate a very unhealthy, processed, fast food meal. How did you feel a few hours later? Sluggish, lethargic, tired, maybe even sad? Food that is very highly processed or non-macro balanced (very high in fat, carbs or sugar) will have this effect. Aim to take care of your body by fueling it with natural, unprocessed foods such as lean meats, fruits and veggies, nuts, rice, etc. These foods will be beneficial in many aspects such as energy levels, digestion and overall mood. With that being said - we’re talking about self care here! We should be excited to eat these foods and enjoy them. Take some time to find new healthy recipes, plan out what you’ll make, take your time gathering high quality ingredients and put time into the cooking portion of the meal. While you're cooking, put a good podcast or TV show on and enjoy the process. Eating foods that will make us feel good can also taste good! Just takes a little time and effort. Trust me, your body will thank you!

Another form of self care is doing things for your physical body that make you feel confident and happy. This could be getting a fresh haircut, buying something new for yourself, going to get a facial, getting your nails done, etc. All of these things are specifically dedicated to appearance, though they very much are a form of self care. When we feel confident in our own bodies, it translates into all aspects of our life. You'll feel more confident in the workplace, in social settings and in relationships. We all deserve to indulge in appearance based self care, not for anyone else but yourself.

Now, let's talk about what self care can look like mentally. With busy work schedules, home life and social relationships, it can be difficult to step away and take some time for yourself. Burn out is a very real thing and if we don’t care for ourselves mentally we can easily spiral into it. A great example of one of these mental breaks is getting outside during your lunch. Put some headphones in and go for a walk outside. Observe and take in the nature around you, leaving the business and stress of life inside the building. This does not have to be just in a work setting, this can apply at home or anywhere. Maybe for you a better option is getting a good book and blocking out thirty minutes of your day to read. The main purpose is to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax your mind.

One of the most important aspects of caring for our minds and bodies is prioritizing rest. Lack of sleep can reduce levels of leptin, making you hungrier and more likely to crave unhealthy foods. It can also cause low energy levels, fatigue, mood swings and more. As a coach, I have seen many clients lacking sleep. I understand that it can be difficult to control sleep schedules with the variables of life, but with a little effort and planning it is very possible to adjust sleep schedules. Here are a few tips that have worked for me and my clients; giving yourself wind down time. One to two hours before you go to bed, try to relax your mind and body, lying down watching something or reading a book. When you are ready to sleep, try to put the screens away to let your mind decompress. Another strategy is limiting caffeine. Caffeine is a must for me… what I have found effective is stopping all caffeine intake before noon and not intaking over 300 milligrams per day (this will be different for each person). Create a serene sleeping environment; use a noise machine, eye mask, comfortable pillows or anything that makes you feel comfortable to rest. Try a peaceful alarm to wake you up in the morning. A gentle wake up call will mimic a more natural awakening for your body rather than being abruptly startled.

We can only be our best selves when we feel confident and strong in our well being and bodies. Only then are we able to give our best to others. I hope to deliver the message that no one should ever feel guilty for making self care a part of your normal routine and prioritizing it. Whatever it may look like for you, physically or mentally, here is your sign to go take care of yourself! 

Need more motivation or help? Reach out to Coach Emily today at EHoffman@etageathletic.com