The Myth about Self Care
The Myth about Self Care
What do you think of when you hear the words “self care”? Lighting candles, having a bath or cup of tea? Going for a hair cut or pamper session at the spa? Whilst all these things are lovely, in isolation they are NOT self care. Self care should be something that you do every day, and is something that goes way deeper than any of the above. Self care is consistently putting your needs first. As the well known saying goes “you can’t pour from an empty cup”.
Self care can take many forms, but at its most basic it’s simply giving yourself time and space. Stopping the rushing about from task to task, freeing your mind and just being in the moment.
Real self care is making yourself a priority, just as you would your child(ren), other half or your work responsibilities.
There are many ways to make yourself a priority, the most powerful of which (I think) is the power of No. It’s OK to say No to things you don’t want to do. Don’t feel like you have to say yes to every offer, whether it’s a social invitation or a work commitment. If you would rather stay in than go out, it’s fine to do that. I used to find myself saying yes to everything. The styled shoot that was miles away and the planner wanted a huge cake display for? I’d say yes, even though it would be draining time wise and effort wise. I learned to say no to some of these, and am so much happier for it.
Take time for yourself. If you enjoy yoga, or running, or walking, take time each day to do these. They’re all activities that are great for the mind as well as the body. Take time to rest properly as well. Late nights and early starts take their toll – make sure you get plenty of sleep.
Don’t be such a perfectionist. I put a lot of pressure on myself to have a perfect house, organised life, keep fit etc and one person can’t do it all. If the stairs aren’t hoovered every day, it doesn’t matter. If I’ve not cleared the wash basket, who cares? I’ve given myself permission to not be perfect.
Learn to delegate. Get rid of those tasks that are causing you to feel overwhelmed (and this is where a Virtual Assistant can help). If you run your own business and need to get systems set up, but don’t know where to begin, this can be overwhelming. Employ someone to manage your social media for you. Delegating will free up your time to focus on things you enjoy, and that can only be a good thing!
I hope this post helps if you’re feeling some of the signs of overwhelm. Remember to ask for help if you need it, and work out how you can truly embrace self care. I’ve also got a Pinterest board full of self care ideas and advice.
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