10 Tips For a Solid Self-Care Plan
Do you ever get so busy that you neglect to take care of yourself?
If so, you’re not alone. Many of us lead busy lives where we’re consumed with taking care of others and accustomed to putting their needs before ours. While compassion and caring are wonderful traits, too little self-care leaves us emotionally depleted, exhausted, and ultimately, not much good to anyone else — especially ourselves.
Here are 10 tips for how to make yourself a priority in your life with a solid self-care plan.
1. Wake up early and with intention. How you start your day matters. Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace. If the idea of becoming a “morning person” is mind-boggling, a small tweak — avoiding the snooze button, can go a long way.
Morning motivational tip courtesy of Steve Jobs:
“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?
And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
2. Check in with your thoughts - they become your actions. Conventional wisdom says that our feelings control our thoughts, but it’s actually the other way around: our thoughts precede our feelings. Complicating matters is the fact that our thoughts are often automatic, quick, and unconscious. The beauty of being mindful is learning how to manage your thoughts so they don’t manage you. Check out this guide on adopting healthy thoughts.
3. Make time for physical activity. Moving your body kick-starts your metabolism and releases the “feel good” hormone, serotonin, which helps relieve stress and increase self-confidence. Additional benefits of exercising include feeling more alert, productive, and creative throughout the day.
4. Choose what to say No to. Boundaries are the key to self-care and happiness, too. People-pleasers have an especially difficult time with setting limits on their time and resources.
5. Connect with someone you love. Humans are wired to connect. Studies abound about the devastating effects that loneliness has on our mental and physical health. The good news is research also shows that relationships can improve health by helping us manage stress, improve immune system functioning and giving meaning to our lives.
6. Practice slow, deep breaths. In addition to helping you remain calm and avoid over reacting, breathing is your best defense against panic attacks. According to a study published by the Journal of Emergency Medicine, 30% of patients who seek treatment at emergency rooms with complaints of chest pain (and no evidence of coronary artery disease) suffer from panic disorder.
7. Speak and act truthfully. The primary goal of therapy is to get clients to acknowledge the truth. As painful and messy as that can be, nothing beats saying what you mean and doing what you say to get on the right side of authenticity and a meaningful existence.
8. Watch the projections. Passive-aggressive behavior is among the most toxic of all personality traits. While we are all entitled to feel angry and wronged from time to time, taking responsibility for our emotions and actions is a crucial step to adopting a mentally healthy mindset.
9. Be kind. Because it costs $0.00 to be a decent human being.
10. Laugh. A sense of humor is a must-have for the emotional wellness tool kit. Laughter also strengthens your immune system, increases energy, diminishes pain, and protects you from the toxic effects of stress. Best of all, humor is fun, free, and easy to find!
CPR Anesthesia Inc. is a national practice that offers a wide range of services from full-service anesthesia management to back up coverage facilities existing model. We recruit and retain highly qualified anesthesia professionals to guarantee patients receive the highest level of care possible. We also take great pride in sharing healthy living tips like the information contained in this blog. If you or someone you know can benefit from our services please connect with us!