Since officially saying goodbye to the corporate world and taking the blog full time a few months ago, the more I think about it, the more I need to add self care to my daily routine. When I was working my corporate job I would try to fit in working out, eating right and so many more things along with working + this side hustle and I would get burned out so quickly! In fact, I was burning so much on both ends I never took time for myself!
Let's face, it how often do you really prioritize caring for yourself? If you're like me or msot women that I know, it's very seldom. I really ant to address WHY self care is essential and WHY you need a plan of action. It can be super easy to get wrapped up in the stresses of everyday life with lo
ng work hours, taking care of your family, taking care of friends and little time to ourselves.
When I know that it's time to pamper myself, I begin thinking of planning a spa day but now a days, I've learned there really is much more to self-care than just a message and facial! Plus, self care needs to be up there on your priority list right along with spending time with work and family. Can I get an Amen for that?! But let's start off with...
What IS Self Care? Great question! Truly at it's core, it's any choice or action we take to make us fulfill our spiritual, physical or emotional needs. There are all sorts of small ways we can take care of ourselves so we don't have a full breakdown ( I'm guilty of having those once in awhile! ) For the last few months however, I've been really working on ways to self improve and it just hit me one day that I needed to make a self care plan, especially being in a huge funk of being at home all the time.
Do I NEED a Self Care Plan? I would say yes my friend! It's to help improve your overall well being, assist with your stress management and keep you healthy for the future! It can be simple to let you fall at the bottom of your life when life gets crazy. The problem is, we end up taking on more urgent matters, getting burnt out and lacking motivation when we really need it. The point is, we need to spend time to get to know what your body and soul need in order for you to be at your best When you're able to identify what you need, you'll be able to really cater to your self-care plan that's going to be perfect for you.
How Do You Create A Self Care Plan? I think the first thing you need to do is make a list of the things you value and need as part of your day-to-day work/schedule. For instance, do you need to walk your dog in the morning, grab a cup of coffee or spend your nights in the gym? Layer on that, think of things you don't really need either but that make you happy and can fill you up! What about, taking on an ew hobby or cleaning your closet? There is nothing better to me than purging items to make me feel good! One of my favorite daily checklist items is to pick something that's been on my mind for a while and officially check it off!
Make sure you're thinking of your plan as more of a habit rather than just a quick fix. Think of items like making doctors appointments, getting the proper nutrients, enough sleep or finally setting up a walking or run with your girlfriend who keeps asking! What about budgeting? Make sure you're taking care of your taxes and other financial responsibilities. If you need some space, make sure to schedule some alone time to self reflect or use it for a brain dump to put everything together. SOCIAL investing is huge as in scheduling time with people that matter to you, know your worth and prioritize important events!
Think of how you are taking care of yourself in these areas currently and then brainstorm ways you want to improve or want to try out. On a daily basis, you ant to make sure you're prioritizing your physical needs just as much as you're taking care of your psychological and professional ones. This will help you be more balanced in your daily routine and help your productivity and overall well-being.
With these little tips, I want to know now, how are you going to add to your self care plan? Have you already made one and not thought of it yet? How can you put yourself first?