Tips to make yourself a priority today.

Taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health — aka self-care — is nothing to take lightly or to be thought of as some kind of luxury. Instead, it’s an essential part of your overall well-being and can help you feel more balanced, gives you more energy, and allows you to be more capable of taking care of the everyday tasks in your life. And by taking care of yourself, you’re better able to take care of your family, too.

Here are some tips to get you started:

De-Stress Your Environment

Clutter is a cause of stress, and clearing away unnecessary items in your home can help you feel calmer and even healthier; And beyond clearing out clutter, organize what you have chosen to keep in order to give your home or apartment a sense of order. You’ll save time, too, by not having to spend unnecessary time looking for things. Downsizing by letting go of the things that clutter your home will help you stay focused, too, by eliminating distractions and stress, which can make you anxious.

Next, De-Stress Yourself

First, don’t feel like a failure if you experience stress from time to time. Stress is a normal part of life. In fact, stress and anxiety often push us to do positive things that we otherwise wouldn’t do. So don’t fear stress. The problem becomes if stress begins to run your life.

The key is to find better ways to manage your stress and to lessen the number of times stress interferes with your life. And remember, what works for someone else may not work for you, but there are some things we can all do that can help.

Deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness are things we can do in the moment that can bring down our stress levels. Other tips for immediate relief are chewing gum, drinking tea, and using scents like lavender in our space.

Other things we can do to manage stress, in the long run, are eating a more healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep (7-9 hours per night), and setting boundaries on our time.

Outsource Some Tasks

It is impossible to do everything yourself. For some people, that means hiring a gardener or house cleaner. But if you run a business, your list might be different. Perhaps you need help with IT or your marketing practices. In that case, look for freelancers or contractors who can take on some of those additional tasks and release you to focus on what’s more important

Find things that help you relax

Don’t feel guilty about giving yourself some relaxation time. If you’re someone who feels like you have to be productive all the time, then think of this as a productive use of your time. Relaxation can actually help you be more productive while reducing stress and anxiety. And relaxing is good for your health by lowering your blood pressure and allowing you to sleep better, which is great for your overall health.

Massage is a great way to relax your mind and your body while creating endorphins —your feel-good body chemicals — and helps eliminate pain in your joints and muscles.

Going for walks is also great because it gives you a double relaxation whammy. Exercise and being in nature are both proven stress relievers and promoters of relaxation. Being in nature connects you to the world outside yourself, which gives your brain a chance to have a break from worry.

Try Natural Remedies

Natural remedies can be used for a lot of self-care treatments. And natural remedies are made from plants, minerals, and other natural substances, which means a lessened chance of side effects compared to pharmaceuticals. And many natural remedies are safe for children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Natural remedies are typically much less costly than pharmaceuticals too. But primarily, many natural remedies are great for self-care, like lavender for relaxation and Eleuthera, which is great for reducing stress.

Practice Self-Care to Reduce Stress

There are almost as many ways to practice self-care as there are needs to practice them. It all comes down to your needs and preferences. But whether it’s relaxation techniques, downsizing to reduce clutter or regular massage, it’s important that you take time in your life to take care of yourself.

If you need a little extra help integrating a self-care routine into your life, let’s chat— Book a free call!

Guest Blog Written by, Carrie Spencer