5 Ways To Maintain Self-Care

In today’s time when everyone is hurrying to complete their tasks, meet their deadlines, and meet their agendas we often neglect to take out time for ourselves, for our self-care. We do our best in taking care of our family, fulfilling our responsibilities at home and at work, and other commitments but we fail to acknowledge the fact that we also need to take care of our mind and our body equally. And even if we manage to do that we somehow are not able to maintain the consistency. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care includes one’s behaviors towards taking care of themselves which can include exercise, nutrition, hygiene, sports, and much more. There are numerous studies that point out a positive relationship between self-care and quality of life. Here are some ways which one can learn in order to maintain consistency with self-care.

• Taking a breakWorking continuously can lead to deterioration of the body and the mind. Taking small breaks between the work hours gives a chance to rejuvenate oneself and feel fresh again. It also helps in lowering the burden of daily tasks. When you take small breaks between your work, you tend to think better and perform better.
• Practising positive self-talkGiving oneself positive affirmations like “I got this!”, “I can accomplish this task”, boost your self-confidence. It enhances self-belief and in general increases your sense of positivity towards yourself. One can practice positive self-talk anytime during the day. Inculcating this habit and celebrating daily successes with positive self-talk keeps you motivated and gets you going through tough situations as well.
• Doing what makes you happyIn our lives which are busy and loaded with tasks and responsibilities, we should take out time to practice our interests, hobbies, or anything which gives us happiness and creates a sense of calm. For some it could be playing their favorite sport, cooking, painting, riding, to name a few. These can vary from individual to individual. When we spend time doing an activity that makes us feel happy, we not only feel relaxed but also feel a sense of personal accomplishment at the end of the day.
• Prioritizing sleep and over-all healthResearch has shown that healthy adults need between six to eight of sleep daily to function optimally. When we do not get enough sleep our body and mind do not feel fresh and we tend to make more errors at the tasks given to us It is important to ensure that not just the number of hours but also the quality of sleep is maintained. For this taking care of and incorporating sleep hygiene practices into your sleep routine are an imperative.
• Practice meditation and mindfulnessResearch shows that spending time engaging in activities like meditation and mindfulness can bring a change in the way one reacts to situations. Learning to calm ourselves, feeling centered and grounded, being in the moment, being aware of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations in a non-judgemental manner are important aspects that one should try and inculcate. When we are fully present in the moment we give our thoughts time to relax and we less apprehensive about things that are otherwise constantly running in our head. By including these small acts of self-care into our day-to-day lives we can improve our general well-being and make our lives better.

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