Top 5 Self-Care Tips... Especially for Challenging Times
Hey Friends.
This week, some of you are heading back to work, others are continuing on the next leg of your work-from-home journey, a group of you are hard at work trying to find a new job, and then there are some who are preparing to climb the distance-learning mountain with your children. What a doozy of a week amidst all the stuff 2020 has already thrown us. I feel you. Life is tough.
And when the going gets tough, we’ve got to buckle down. Buckle down on what, you ask? On our self-care.
I don’t know about you but when stress hits, I spin out of control either paralyzed from doing anything or frantically doing everything possible (I felt some of that coming on last week!). For some of you, your tendency in the face of stress might be to shut down, ignore, or procrastinate. Some of you might start to worry about EVERYTHING or become irritable. There are so many stress responses yet one theme that seems to be common amongst them all is the propensity for not taking good care of ourselves when we’re stressed.
Continuing our self-care habits is our #1 defense against stress. AND it helps fortify us as we navigate new chapters and uncertainty in life. It gives us strength so we can continue fighting the good fight so that we are stronger when we make it out onto the other side.
Self-care is our savings account for our health!
Here are my top 5 Self-Care Tips to take good care of yourself every day, especially during stressful times (or simply any day in 2020 - sarcasm intended, haha!):
Eat 3 healthy, well-timed meals plus small healthy snacks throughout the day
Drink water throughout the day
Exercise
Pause/Take frequent breaks
Power down from at least 30 minutes before bed
Tip #1: 3 Healthy Well-Timed Meals + Healthy Snacks
A good rule of thumb is to have breakfast before 8am, snack between 10 and 11am, lunch between 12 and 1pm, another snack between 2 and 3pm, and dinner between 5 and 6:30pm. This schedule helps to ensure our body is set up for proper and timely digestion throughout the day. It also ensures our food is fully digested before bed so while we’re sleeping, the body can focus its energy on digesting the day and preparing for tomorrow. Consuming lots of veggies, fruits, and grains and limiting the consumption of processed foods is a good rule of thumb. Of course there are many layers to this conversation but for now, we’ll stick with these general guidelines just to lay a good foundation for your eating habits.
Tip #2: Drink Water Throughout the Day
Water intake is important because it aids in digestion, clear thinking, muscle regeneration, boosts skin health, helps to flush waste, helps organs to function optimally, and reduces headaches.
Not to stress you out (or cause you more stress) buuuut, there are many schools of thought as to what the correct daily intake is. On the lower end of the spectrum, the recommendation is eight 8-oz glasses of fluid daily. Then midway on the spectrum, others say 91 oz for women and 125 oz for men (ugh to the gender-specific info). And at the far other side of the spectrum, the recommendation is 1 oz for every pound of your body weight. And then increase the amount if you exercise or are particularly sweaty or active that day.
Since water intake is commonly lower than it should be, my recommendation is to start out by noting how much water you drank yesterday or the day before and see where it falls within the recommendations listed above just so you know where you are. Then, plan to drink that amount + one more glass every day this week. Grab yourself a refillable water bottle or a glass/cup you love and designate it as your daily water vessel. If you’re numbers oriented, feel free to shoot somewhere in the middle of the recommendations I listed to start out and slowly build up the amount. I know slow and steady isn’t always the MO people like BUT it builds consistency and this is a habit we want to stick!
Tip #3: Exercise
Daily. Or at least 3-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes. The body is the finest machine and it is made to MOVE. Strength training (bodyweight or using resistance) 2-3 times/week and cardiovascular exercise 2-3 times/week vigorously or 3-4 times per week at a moderate intensity with stretching after each bout. Also add in some mind/body, functional fitness, and balance exercising like yoga, pilates, or barre. MOVE your body my friends!!!
Tip #4: Pause/Take Frequent Breaks
This is my new MUST and I truly believe it should be a top priority for everyone. No matter who you are, pausing is essential for mental clarity, productivity, concentration, kindness and gratitude, positive thinking, problem solving, relationship building, and creativity. Taking a break hourly is a great goal to have. And I encourage you to take these pauses without your devices. Get up from your work area, take a walk, do some stretching, meditate, do some visualization, bust out some jumping jacks or burpees, make it a dance break, or simply look out the window and see what you see. Stepping away and spending time quietly (or with some good tunes!) is GOLD.
Tip #5: Power Down
Think about a car when it is put in park after a drive. When you shut it off, the engine may take some time to quiet down and it takes a longer time to cool down. Your body functions the same way. As a result, intentionally beginning the power down phase before you’re ready to actually close your eyes works wonders for the quality of your sleep. It helps you to begin the process of a systematic shutdown so that your body is prepared for its rest and rejuvenation process.
Stepping away from devices, housework, and all outer world things at least 30 minutes before you head to bed gives you the opportunity to release the worries and stresses of the day and connect to yourself. This is your chance to engage in a hobby that brings you joy, calms your system, and connects you deeper to yourself. I know it’s hard to imagine putting your phone and TV to bed before you’re ready to sleep but we spend the entire day connecting with others so this time for yourself is essential. You can do a self-massage, meditate, engage in a gratitude practice of reflecting on 3 things you feel thankful for from the day, journal, do some light reading or listen to soothing music. Something soothing that sets the stage for what’s to come: REST.
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So... what do you think? Is this doable for you? It may take some trial and error but you can do it.
I encourage you to take some time today to consider easy ways to implement these practices. Start small. You don’t have to do everything all at once. Take one step and just keep going. I promise you can do it.
And if you already do these things daily, notice if there’s a way for you to dial in deeper (My water intake has been pretty sad lately!).
Self-care is a multifaceted, essential tool and these 5 tips are big players in ensuring overall daily wellness. When it gets tough remind yourself: self care is my health’s savings account! No matter what life is like these days, you deserve to be at the top of your priority list. And you’re worth it!
Take good care my friends.
