Self-Care Strategies During A Bustling Week

Audre Lorde famously quoted that ‘self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.’ It may sound cliché, but it’s true that self-care is not selfish. We need to love and care for ourselves before we can look out for others. But, how often do we pay heed to this advice? Surely after a stressful and frenzied week, the last thing on our minds is to make time for a quick run or prepare a healthy snack. Let’s be honest, most of us would even evade our skincare regimes if it weren’t for a few spells of inspiration that warn us of the perils of bad skin.

So, how can we find time for ourselves with piles of chores occupying every waking inch of our headspace without wanting to rip our hair out? Check out these eight self-care tips to follow on a bustling day to help you rejuvenate!

10-Minute Yoga

Micro yoga workouts help in relaxing our muscles. It improves our concentration and also serves as a great body workout after staring at a computer screen for hours. Use your office breaks to perform short repetitions of yoga asanas. Do a few squats every time you open the fridge if you’re working at home! This can also be coupled with meditation.

Meditation can be challenging, especially when you are trying to focus and your mind reminds you of a deadline you have in 20 minutes, a phone call that you forgot to make, or even the groceries that need to be purchased for the week. However, try to quiet these thoughts with a 5-minute meditation and focus on being present in that moment: deep breaths and concentrate on your breathing. The possibilities are endless if you try.

Take A Quick Walk Outside

A 10- or 15-minute stroll around the block amidst fresh air serves to be very relaxing and helps one be alone with their thoughts. A stroll in the sun is also a rich source of vitamin D which increases the release of serotonin in the brain, which is associated with an elevated mood. Sunlight is also vital to improve the brain’s functioning, stabilize blood pressure and improve the quality of sleep.

Create A New Playlist

Spotify to the rescue! Numerous applications today allow us to curate playlists of music that we love. Making an uplifting song playlist is fast and easy and is a great mood booster. You could even listen to music while you work. We would say it kills two birds with one stone, wouldn’t you?

Practice Positive Self-Talk

We could not possibly emphasize this more. How often do you criticize yourself or self-proclaim that you aren’t good enough? Numerous studies have proven that practicing positive self-talk is directly correlated with how our brains perceive this information.

Thus, using positive affirmations can undoubtedly help counter your self-sabotaging thoughts. Paint or draw cheerful affirmation stickers and paste them on your work desk or watch inspiring videos. Choose a statement that you resonate with and announce it for ten minutes. Believe us; it can change the way you think.

Cook Healthy Meals In Advance

There are surprising benefits of nutritious food on task performance and overall wellbeing on an individual. Although eating healthy may seem like an impossible task during a busy week, preparing in advance can certainly help. Stock your fridge with quick-fix snacks like carrots, corn, cucumbers, watermelons, and other wholesome foods. These work for quick healthy alternatives to junk food.

Drink Fresh Lemon Juice

A versatile fruit, citrus is not only a rich source of vitamin c but also possesses several antibacterial and immunity-boosting properties. Lemon juice is popularly known to reduce weight by boosting metabolism in the body.

Get Adequate Sleep

A busy work schedule demands some time to relax before hitting the sack. Dimming the lights, playing slow, soft music, or even lighting some aromatic candles in your room, can help improve the quality of your sleep and relax.

It is essential to get 8 hours of sleep daily for a fully functioning brain and body concerning adequate sleeping. This is perhaps the most important tip. It serves as a precursor to your day ahead and determines your performance.

Get Organized

Being systematic can help you feel less overwhelmed with your tasks at hand. Using a planner, journal, or to-do list can help clear your mind and reduce the burden of remembering tasks. It also allows you to identify pockets of available time which you can convert to a self-care hour.

Remember that prioritizing yourself should always be the ultimate goal despite the lined-up work. Remember, eat, sleep, work, self-care, repeat!