Life can be quite hectic at times, and while juggling numerous priorities, you may forget your personal well-being. It can be difficult to manage work and have a personal life; worse, your health can be adversely affected.
On the other hand, when you make yourself a priority by practicing self-care, coping with challenges is easier, stress is reduced, and overwhelming emotions can be managed better.
Taking care of yourself is known as self-care, or consistently improving and maintaining our own physical and mental health. Time management, a key component of self-care, gives you control over how you spend your time. Self-care reduces stress and the risk of disease and boosts your sense of well-being. You can learn how to make self-care a beneficial, lifelong habit.
What are the Benefits of Self-Care?
Self-care is essential in numerous ways. In addition to better physical health and mental health, self-care:
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Prevents burnout
- Promotes happier relationships
- Increases productivity
- Improves sleep
Strategies for Self-Care
The following are tips for making yourself a priority while honing your time management skills.
Nutrition, Exercise, and Sleep
The foundation for self-care is to eat healthy foods, exercise daily, and get sufficient quality sleep.
A healthy diet includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, non-fat or low-fat dairy, nuts, lean meats, and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods and too much salt.
Regular exercise will give you more energy and lift your mood. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, such as taking a brisk walk, playing a sport, or bicycling.
Quality sleep supports and maintains your brain function and physical health. It reduces the risk of chronic health issues and affects how you think and react. Seven hours of uninterrupted sleep is recommended for adults. However, due to sleep pattern changes, older adults may need more sleep. As we age, we take longer to fall asleep, sleep more lightly and may wake up several times at night.
Morning Routine
A morning routine entails doing the same tasks in the same order daily. It will help you to prepare for your day, reduce stress, and put you in control of your time. Think about how much time you will devote to your routine and what you want to do during that time.
For example, a person might have a 45-minute routine that consists of waking up, drinking cold water to boost metabolism, stretching to increase blood circulation, eating breakfast, reading the newspaper, and revisiting daily goals.
Handle Priority Tasks First
Focus your energy on the important tasks to reduce stress and prevent feeling overwhelmed. The key is to identify and prioritize your work the evening before. The Eisenhower Matrix is an effective tool for planning and prioritizing your tasks. First, make a list of the tasks that you are responsible for. Next, categorize each task as follows.
- Important and Urgent, “Do”: These are the highest priority tasks to be completed first.
- Important but not Urgent, “Schedule”: These tasks are important, but schedule them for a later date or time.
- Not important but Urgent, “Delegate”: These are tasks you can assign to someone else.
- Not important and not Urgent, “Eliminate”: Delete these tasks from your list.
Conclusion
Finding balance in life can be difficult, but it is essential for your health. The practice of self-care, including time management, helps you be your best while allowing you to control your time. The preceding strategies for self-care will make you stronger physically and mentally, promoting balance between your career and your well-being.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7799745/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important
https://www.lifehack.org/876079/prioritization-matrix