We tend to take good care of the things that depend on us but when it comes to taking care of ourselves it becomes quite the opposite, why is that?
Our own life is much more important than the person who depends on us, and how we can take good care of them by having issues within ourselves.
If a person’s dog feels sick, he’ll take them to the vet and help it recover by providing the prescribed medicines. But he’ll not do the same for himself that’s why most of the prescriptions won’t work on curing your health issue, not because of the wrong prescription but because we neglect to take good care of ourselves.
So, what exactly is self-care? Is getting a good luxurious massage self-care? NO. It is a self-care too but not what I’m talking about. Self-care refers to activities and practices that individuals engage in to maintain or improve their overall well-being and health. It encompasses a broad range of activities aimed at physical, mental, and emotional health. Self-care is about recognizing and addressing your own needs and taking steps to ensure that you’re functioning optimally.
According to the World Health Organization Self care is the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote and maintain their own health, prevent disease, and cope with illness – with or without the support of a health or care worker.
Consequences of not taking care of yourself:
- Increased stress
- Physical health issues
- Mental health decline
- Hard to fall asleep
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Affects your productivity at work
- Loss of interest
- Less Motivated
Tips to take good care of yourself physically:
Eat Mindful:
We choose the products that we tend to put in on our body so why not do the same for what we put in it? Instead of eating what’s available, it’s better to plan and come up with a list of what we want to eat.
Plan a list of items that we should eat for breakfast, Lunch, and dinner. Having nutrition-rich foods helps you to fight against diseases and keeps you healthy both physically and mentally.
Exercise:
Keep it a habit to do exercise daily even if it’s just for 30 minutes. Doing regular exercise helps to improve your mood and decrease the anxiety and stress you are feeling. Exercise makes your brain secrete hormones called Serotonin and norepinephrine these help in improving your mood and improves alertness and energy. Follow this exercise routine for beginners to take good care of your body.
Sleep Routine:
The human body needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day. Avoid screen time before going to bed never use mobile phones or tv or laptop one hour before you sleep. Fix a sleeping schedule and stick to that until it becomes a habit. Your mind and body need rest in order to become productive again.
Limit Alcohol Intake:
Never touch alcohol ever in your life if that habit picks up it’s hard to let go of it. If you have the habit of drinking it’s good if you take it occasionally. Alcohol tends to interfere with your brain’s communication pathways and can affect the way your brain thinks and works.
Drink Plenty of Water:
Always carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. 2.7 liters of fluid for women and 3.7 liters of fluid for men.
Tips to take good care of yourself mentally:
Create Boundaries:
Learn to say NO, setting boundaries helps protect your mental health and wellbeing and helps to prevent burnout. Say no to unreasonable demands. Be clear about how you want to be treated. Limit your time spent with toxic people and spending time on yourself can indirectly help you in taking care of yourself.
Disconnect:
Disconnect from social media and apps that occupy your time. practice mindfulness to focus on real life. Unfollow or mute accounts which may bring negativity into your life. There is so much more in real life than in social media.
Organize inside and out:
To organize inside and out first start within your room. Make up your bed after you wake up arrange things in order and keep your room clean. It will help you to develop a habit of organizing. Set clear goals of what you want to achieve and work on that. Focus on important tasks first and go with less important tasks next.
Do what you love:
Everyone has a hobby like singing reading books, drawing, etc., whatever the hobby is spend some time on your hobby. It is important to make your mind happy by doing things that you love.
Develop a skill:
Spending 30 minutes daily on a skill will keep you ahead of 50% of the crowd. Pick a money-making skill and invest some time daily on that skill to get good at it.
