Have you ever noticed that the airline hostess instructs you that in the event of an emergency, place the oxygen mask on your face before assisting anyone else? Have you ever thought about why they say that?
If you pass out from lack of oxygen you are not going to be any good to yourself or others in an emergency situation.
This applies to daily life.
How much good are you to yourself or others if you are running on fumes? Caring for yourself means you will be productive and able to help others. It is not selfish.
Now, I am not advocating nose jobs and breast enlargements here. Those are self indulgent in most cases. I am talking about simple things like getting enough sleep, eating well and regularly, staying hydrated, exercising, and supporting your immune system. These things take time, but it is time well invested.
Think about the usual Mommy scenario. Your family depends upon you. You keep everything on track and moving. If you go down, so does the ship. Caring for yourself is really a prerequisite for caring for others. Nothing selfish about that!
So how do you add self-care into your life?
This varies from person to person depending on your life, but the main idea is to seize the moments you can in the best way possible. Think of a new Mom with a new baby. You better believe she sleeps while the baby sleeps and the housework takes a back seat. Have a plan for when snippets of time (even 20 minutes) present themselves. Then be ready to seize the moment and incorporate islands of self-care into an already busy day. Yes, you DO have time!
You might be thinking, “easier said than done.” And that’s okay! Self-care is simply a habit you need to cultivate. If you’ve never really tried doing it before, it might be an adjustment to start adding it into your daily life.
If that’s the case, keep reading for some ideas for making self-care a regular part of your personal-care.
2 simple tips for adding self-care into your life
Start small: You don’t have start off with a half-day trip to the spa. (But if you can make that work, by all means, enjoy!) What I mean is, do what makes you feel rested and rejuvenated. Take 20 minutes by yourself and read a book you love, go for a walk outside on a beautiful day, have coffee with a friend. Even if it is as simple as taking a nap while the kids are taking one too, caring for yourself should be a priority in your day because it will help you better care for others in your life.
Schedule it: If you find you have a hard time remembering to take a little time for self-care, try making it a part of your day or week by giving it a designated slot on your calendar. Set a reminder, mark it on the family calendar, whatever it takes for you–and your family–to know that is your time.
So…what are you going to do to take care of yourself today?