How to practice Self Care

(Last Updated On: June 10, 2020)

Are you also overwhelmed by the buzzword “Self Care” but still wondering what on earth does it actually mean? These days, the whole world seems to be talking about making time for yourself and starting your own self-care routine (oh wait, I totally did that too).

So lets take a step back here to make sure we actually know what we mean when we say self-care before we jump into the rules on setting up your self care routine. Self-care is more than just a pamper session on a Sunday. It’s about taking care of yourself from the inside out and regularly tending to your own needs.

Let’s get started with a quick and easy definition of self-care, shall we?

self·care // activities and practices we engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and enhance our well-being

The important word here is regular. These are routines or practices we need to incorporate in our days often, rather than just once in a while. Ultimately, self-care is about finding something that you can do on a regular basis to make yourself feel comfortable and relaxed, happy and eases you from the pressure of your never ending to-do list(s).

So here are some simple rules to help you in drafting up your self care routine!!

Rule 1: Get to the Basics.

If you started to draft up a long elaborate list of things you would like to do? Stop right there, you don’t want another list that will drown you in the spiral of unattainable goals. Keep it super simple. Start with your most basic needs and work your way up from there.

What to do? Try writing out what brings you joy. Small activities like eating healthy food, moving your body, skincare, making fruit smoothies, listening to music etc.

Make a plan to purposely incorporate a little bit of those activities each day. Be sure to include things you really enjoy doing the most and skip those that you know aren’t good for you. If you have something that you have been waiting to try out, this is the perfect opportunity to spend a little time on that as well. Pay attention to what your mind, body, and soul need most and try to squeeze time for all three in your self care routine. In my opinion, these elements need to be in balance to achieve true happiness.

Rule 2: Frame your Mindset

Everyone’s opinion about self care is not the same. What’s important to note is that while certain practices may work for others, you may find that they don’t work for you.

For me, I have come to use the words self-care and wellness interchangeably. Wellness is about making healthy choices that improve our physical and mental state of being, and I think that’s exactly what self-care helps us achieve. Self-care is about taking care of yourself and indulging in activities that help you to stay balanced and healthy – mentally, physically, and emotionally.

So really spend some time to frame what self care means to you and what you wish to achieve from it, this will help you set more achievable practices.

Rule 3: Be Consistent

This is the main key to make your self care routine feel undaunting and realistic. When you’re consistent with your actions and habits, your self care routine will automatically become a part your lifestyle.

It is said that it takes 21 days for something to become a habit, so be committed. Take small, incremental steps to make certain action a habit. Instead of trying to change all of your habits at once, start by setting one self-care goal for yourself and work on sticking to it. For example, if your self-care goal is to eat heathy, start by keeping unhealthy foods out of the house so that you are able to stick to your consistent meal routine and reward yourself so that you continue to make it a habit.

To set yourself up for success, also work on building your self-discipline around your habits and priorities. Try to remove the temptations and distractions that cause you to let your goals and intentions slide.

Rule 4: Practice Self Love

You, yourself, as much as anybody else in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection. Squeeze 5 minutes in a day to just sit down and practice self-love.

Write a journal or sing out loud, but do what your heart beckons to just relax and unwind a little after a stressful day. This will decrease your stress and demonstrate to you that you are the most valuable person of your life and that you should be on your checklist of things to prioritize first.

Rule 5: Track your Self Care Habits

It can be fun and rewarding to track your self-care habits. Set up a daily tracker where you check off certain self-care activities like meditating, exercising, and at home spa time.

To avoid feeling scattered, tracking your habits can be super motivating and encourage you to keep going. This can also be a great way to checking in to reflect and revise your routine if you start to notice you aren’t ticking off some boxes because you might not be dedicating as much time for self-care as you’d planned.

So there you have it guys, 5 rules that will guide you to draft your own self-care routine. I’d love to hear from you if you have any questions or just share how you keep your self-care practice simple and attainable!

XOXO,

Preksha