International Self-Care Day
Woman Enjoying Picnic
Are you a busy professional, entrepreneur, parent, caregiver, or student who often feels irritable, exhausted, unmotivated, and burnt out because you constantly try to balance work and your personal life?
Do you feel that there is never enough time to do anything for yourself between your responsibilities at work, school, and home?
Millions of people across the world would answer yes to these questions. Unfortunately, there are numerous activities that people worldwide complete in a day's time outside of the basics. Life as we have come to know it is busy. We spend over a third of our day performing work to provide for ourselves and our families, a third of the day sleeping, and the other third is split between showering, cooking, eating, cleaning, commuting, and exercise.
A study by Kelton Global revealed that 2 out of 5 people (approximately forty percent) feel they rarely have time for themselves each day. These numbers increase for parents and caregivers. The study also revealed that when parents took time away from their children to care for themselves, they felt guilty.
Why do so many people neglect taking care of themselves, an essential component of wellness, due to their other commitments?
"Self-care is a crucial cornerstone of health, and International Self-Care Day was established by the International Self-Care Foundation in 2011 to raise awareness about it. The celebration of International Self-Care Day on July 24th emphasizes the advantages of self-care that can be felt at any time of day or night, seven days a week, regardless of the season. International Self-Care Day stresses the importance of self-care as the cornerstone of wellness. On this day, individuals throughout the world are encouraged to make self-care a part of their everyday routines and turn it into a priority."
So, what self-care activities can you do, even for those who are extremely busy? Let's take a look at a few ideas that will help you breathe a sigh of relief:
Build self-care into your morning or evening routine. One of my favorite things to do in the morning is listening to a mindfulness meditation on my phone. I've recently begun to go outside and water the flowers while listening to the meditation. This routine was surprisingly more relaxing than I expected because it allowed me to focus on myself, listen to the sound of water, and get centered before the busyness of the day began.
Establish boundaries by practicing saying NO. Saying no is very hard for a lot of people, including myself. At the root of having a hard time saying no is the fear of disappointing other people, attempting to avoid conflict, and not wanting to hurt someone's feelings. Slowly incorporate saying 'no' into your habits when you are uninterested or cannot take on new responsibilities. Saying 'no' helps to prevent or reduce unnecessary stress and the burnout that comes with always saying 'yes.'
Get some rest. Many people are saying, "rest, what is that?" Trust me, at times, I feel the same way too. But think of resting as you hit the pause button on every activity in your life. Resting is the exact opposite of being busy. The time you spend resting is your opportunity to sit or lay down (ideally in a relaxing space) and do absolutely nothing. During this time, limit your technology consumption - silence your cell phone, turn off the notifications from your email and social media and focus on resting and rejuvenating your body. I promise the world can wait for you to rest and relax.
Take a walk outside. I'll be the first to admit it; I typically hate being outside. It is scorching and humid where I live, and I'd much rather be inside soaking up my manufactured air conditioning! However, instead of getting on my stationary exercise bike or HIIT exercise machine, my family and I started to take a walk around the neighborhood in the evenings after sunset. I was surprised at how relaxing this stroll could be. I've found this a great way to center myself and my thoughts after a long, busy day at work and with the kids.
Pamper yourself. This activity may cost you a little bit but think of this as an investment in yourself. Build your 'pamper present' into your monthly budget so that it isn't something you later say you can't afford. There are affordable ways to pamper yourself. Get a short massage, take a bubble bath, give yourself (or go out and get) a manicure or pedicure, get a facial, or buy yourself some flowers. Whatever your 'thing' is that makes you happy, invest in yourself.
Take time off. Time off from work, school, and sometimes, from your children or those you're providing care for is essential to well-being. Americans are well-known to be the most reluctant people who take the least amount of time off compared to other countries. Pay attention to the signals your body sends to you. Periodically, taking a day off is very important. You won't always need to take a lengthy vacation when taking time off. Sometimes, you may want to schedule a wellness day (a mental health day) just because your body needs it or because you want to. You don't owe anyone an explanation of why you need to take a day off - submit the time-off request, friend! And parents, having time away from your children can be a healthy and relaxing break. I know how hard it is to be away from your children - I am practically with my kids 24/7/365, especially since the pandemic began. But, date nights and weekend get-a-ways can be very relaxing for you - find trusted people to care for your little ones while you're away. Remember, self-care is not selfish, and you can’t pour from an empty cup. I know this sounds cliche, but you must remind yourself of this often so that you can be at peace and not feel guilty when setting aside this intentional time for yourself.
These are just a few options that you can choose from to take care of yourself. Please note that self-care activities do not need to be time-consuming or expensive. Essentially, the goal is to set aside time to take care of yourself intentionally. If you are a person who struggles with setting aside time for yourself, this may be challenging at first. Take one day at a time, and start small. International Self-Care Day is a great way to start building new habits that we hope to turn into everyday routines in your day-to-day life.
We have you covered if you didn't have time to fully read and process this information. This article is available on our podcast, which will help those who prefer to listen to the audio instead of reading!
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