While self-care is important all year round, it is particularly important when our schedules get busier.
Self-care is crucial for maintaining wellbeing and helps to reduce stress.
It’s important to prioritise your self-care and allow yourself the chance to recharge so you can stay on top of all your commitments.
Why is self-care important?
Self-care involves nurturing your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing to enhance overall health and wellness.
It may sound like you’re adding more tasks into your day, but taking some time out to prioritise your wellbeing can actually improve your mood, reduce your stress levels and increase your productivity.
In the long term, practicing regular self-care can also reduce your risk of burnout and chronic illness, improve your physical wellbeing, relationships, job satisfaction and self-esteem and generally give you a better quality of life.
Give yourself the gift of self-care
Reap the rewards of prioritising your health and wellbeing by practicing self-care regularly.
Try the tips below to get started:
Block out time in your calendar each day that is dedicated to self-care
It doesn’t need to be a huge time impost – you might start with going for a 20 minute walk before work, or spending 10 minutes journaling before you go to bed.
Pamper yourself to promote relaxation and rejuvenation
You might books yourself in for a spa treatment, or do it yourself at home – run a warm bath, put on a face mask, and watch your favourite movie.
Practice mindfulness to help reduce stress levels and stay present
If you’re new to practicing mindfulness, you can find guided meditations online and there are apps that can send you reminders throughout the day to centre yourself.
Get outside and get active
Fresh air and physical activity are great forms of self-care and have numerous health benefits.
Go for a run, attend a dance class, go for a walk with a friend, cycle around your local park or sign up for a class to try a new sport.
Take a break from technology
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with a world of information right at our fingertips.
Put your phone out of arms reach and turn notifications off so you’re not tempted to pick it up.
Spend time doing something you love and that fills your cup – painting, gardening, reading, sewing and baking are examples of hobbies that help you to disconnect and feel joy.
Give the gift of self-care to someone you love
Self-care is important for everyone.
Sometimes the biggest hurdle to self-care is finding the time.
If you’re stuck for gift ideas for your loved ones, consider giving them something that will allow them to prioritise their own self-care and wellbeing.
You can get creative, and some options can be quite budget friendly as well.
For example:
- Look after their kids for an afternoon so they can have time to themselves (even better – make them a voucher for regular babysitting services!)
- Make them some freezer meals, or buy a meal service
- Buy a voucher for a night away in a hotel away from their normal day-to-day
- Buy a voucher for a spa treatment
- Make or buy a voucher for cleaning services
- Make a self-care basket with some skin care products, a book and their favourite snack
- Buy a voucher for their local yoga or Pilates studio
- Get a subscription for a mindfulness app, audio book, or magazine they enjoy
Remember, taking care of yourself isn’t selfish, it’s necessary for a healthy and fulfilling life.
Prioritise your self-care so you can approach your end of year activities with energy and enthusiasm, and finish the year feeling refreshed and ready to take on new challenges.
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