Summer is a wonderful time to take some time. Life seems to slow down a bit, and it can be the perfect time to check in with yourself and see how your self-care game is doing. We always hear the phrase, “Take some time for you”. Let’s actually do that! Take some time back to focus on building your own self-care practices. If self-care hasn’t been something you’ve focused on for a while, here are some tips to get you back into the game.
Start Focusing on Sleep:
The amount and the quality of our sleep has a huge impact on us as a whole. Many people don’t realize how much sleep effects many other health and mental health issues. Stress, screens, and distractions can make good quality sleep difficult. You can start by thinking about what your nighttime routine is. Take a break from evening caffeine, screen time, and allow yourself a few moments of calm before you try to go to sleep. Make good sleep a priority and everything else will be easier!
Move Your Body Daily:
We all know exercise is good for us. Sometimes what stops us from doing it is the “all or nothing” mentality where we tell ourselves that if we aren’t going to the gym for two hours a day, we might as well just forget it. Not the case! You’ll be much more successful simply finding an enjoyable way to move your body every day. Go for a walk, try fun exercise challenges on commercial breaks during your favorite shows, yoga, even doing some stretches before bed. Movement reduces anxiety so just create a simple routine that works for you.
Be Aware of What You Eat:
Food can fuel us or it can weigh us down and add to stress and health issues. I am a firm believer in not cutting out any “bad” foods, rather, just being aware of the things we eat and try to make good choices when we can. Just maintaining that awareness can make a huge difference.
Set Some Boundaries:
Saying no is difficult for many of us. This summer, try saying no to some obligations so you can say yes to your own self-care! Learning to say no can also boost your self-confidence and help you learn how to set boundaries so you can make yourself a priority.
Get Organized:
Getting organized can be a great way to get started in your self-care journey. It may seem overwhelming, but starting a planner or calendar on your fridge can be a good first step. Clearing out clutter room by room can also greatly reduce anxiety. Just start small and organize one space at a time.
Schedule Self-Care Time – And Stick To It!
Self-care can be difficult to make a priority. One technique to make starting this process easier is to set a specific time to do these things; and guard that time! Whatever time you pick, make sure it’s one you can stick to and keep the same each day. By keeping one time per day, it may make starting self-care as a habit much easier for you. Happy Self-Care Summer!
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