Give Yourself Permission For Self-Care

The practice of self-care means taking care of your physical and mental health and being aware that you must take care of yourself as the highest priority. Self-care increases stamina, reduces stress, and decreases the risk of illness, so we must treat ourselves as number one to thrive and be strong.

 

Still, we may think putting ourselves first is selfish or egotistical. Others are challenged with low self-esteem, making them feel like they don’t deserve to be first. Some people think they must do everything for everybody and will put aside their goals to assist others. These scenarios impact our self-esteem, keep us from pursuing our goals, and foster self-care neglect.

 

We must understand that if we don’t care for ourselves, we won’t be able to help anyone else, we may feel stressed, and our health suffers. When our mental or physical health is poor, we lose motivation and energy, and our quality-of-life decreases.

 

How can we treat ourselves compassionately and make self-care a part of our daily routine? 

 

About Self-Care

 

The World Health Organization explains that self-care is “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”

 

The National Library of Medicine published a study on the role of self-care related to stress and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A tool, the Self-Care Activities Screening Scale (SASS-14), was used to evaluate the study participants. Four main areas were considered:

 

• Health consciousness

• Nutrition and physical activity

• Sleep quality

• Interpersonal and intrapersonal coping strategies

 

The result of the study is that self-care significantly improves our well-being. However, the higher a person’s perceived stress level, the more challenging it is to practice self-care.

 

Self-Care Basics

 

Reduction of perceived stress is essential for self-care. The following are basic strategies to help you cope with stress and lead you to a healthy lifestyle.

 

Embrace Healthy Foods: Nutritious meals can improve your energy and brain power. Healthy foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish and seafood, nuts and seeds, beans, low-fat dairy products, and unsaturated oils, such as olive oil. Avoid fried foods, salt, sugar, fast foods, cakes and pies, and too much caffeine. 

 

Sleep Well: The Sleep Health Foundation recommends that adults aged 18-64 sleep 7 - 9 hours and adults over 64 sleep 7 – 8 hours nightly. Avoid actions that might keep you awake at night, such as caffeine in the afternoon, using electronics before bedtime, and taking long naps during the day. You can foster a good night’s sleep by exercising during the day, going to sleep and waking up at the same time daily, and ensuring that your bedroom is quiet. 

 

Every Workout Counts: Exercise helps to relieve stress and make you stronger mentally and physically. Choose an activity that you enjoy, such as a brisk walk, and strive to exercise at least 30 minutes daily.

 

Stay Connected: Among many benefits, having good friends can relieve stress and promote happiness. The Mayo Clinic reports that friends help you cope with traumas, improve self-confidence, and reduce your risk of health problems.

 

Time Management and Boundaries: The night before, create a to-do list for the next day and prioritize each item. This “roadmap” for the day will help you focus on the tasks that must be completed. Work through your goals and tasks in priority order. Also, consider setting boundaries to prevent interruptions to your plan. For example, if you block out 3 hours to focus on a task, let those who need to know that you aren’t available during that time. 

 

Conclusion

Taking care of yourself is essential to reduce stress and reap the benefits of good health and happiness. In our busy lives, we may feel we don’t have time for self-care, thus impacting our health and energy and limiting our capacity to help others. Remember that you are not being selfish by treating yourself as number one and setting boundaries is not rude. These are necessary concepts to help you cope with stress and boost your well-being.

 

References

 

https://www.who.int/health-topics/self-care#tab=tab_1

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8678542/

 

https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/friendships/art-20044860

 

Breaking Bad Habits: A Practical Guide To Positive Change

Why is it so difficult to overcome bad habits when we know we may harm ourselves or others? For example, we know about the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol excessively, and overeating. 

 

Our families, friends, and others are impacted by secondhand smoke and the effects of alcoholism. We want to give up our bad habits, but the short-term pleasure makes quitting or changing habits challenging. This article will explore the psychology that causes us to form habits and how to make positive changes to break bad habits.

 

About Habits

Our repetitive actions become habitual and are a normal part of the human state. Habits can be beneficial, such as taking a shower or exercising. On the other hand, regular use of illegal drugs, for example, can become a bad habit. Habits can also form when pleasurable things prompt the brain’s “reward” center, leading to unhealthy routines like gambling or overeating.

 

Eventually, the habit becomes an automatic behavior without consciously thinking about it, and it can be difficult to stop. Developing new habits is challenging since the brain retains automatic behavior. 

 

Still, you can eliminate bad habits with patience and commitment by trying the following practical strategies for positive change.

 

Identify Your Bad Habits and Triggers: List the habits you want to change to improve your well-being. Don’t try to change all your habits at once. Instead, choose the highest priority habit that you want to change and focus on it. This will increase your chances of success.

 

Think about what triggers the habit and explore options for avoiding it. For example, assume that you are stressed after work each day and find that drinking alcohol helps you to relax. However, you’ve gotten into the habit of drinking excessively and are concerned about your health. 

 

In that case, you can learn techniques such as meditation to help you relax. Ensure that you take short breaks during the workday to practice meditation. This will help you to cope with stress better. After work, when you feel the urge for a drink, substitute it with exercise, such as a brisk walk to help you unwind.

 

Your goal is to reduce or remove the trigger and substitute the bad habit with a good one.

 

Accept Discomfort: Changing habits is complex and can make you anxious and agitated. Recognize that these are normal feelings; they are temporary and will diminish with time. If you feel discomfort, do something that relaxes you; it’s a distraction and will help you to feel better. Consider going for a walk, reading, playing a game, or taking a short nap.

 

Adopt a Positive Mindset: We all have an inner voice and unconsciously have negative thoughts at times that are discouraging or detrimental to our well-being. You may think, “I can’t do this,” or “I’ll never kick this habit.” Be aware of these thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk such as “I can do this” or “I will do this.”

 

Be Kind to Yourself: You’re human; it’s essential to forgive yourself if you backslide while trying to break a habit. Give yourself credit for your efforts thus far. Rather than give up or put yourself down with negative self-talk, you can pick up where you left off and get back on track. Remember to be aware of scenarios that trigger the habit and either avoid or substitute the behavior with something positive.

 

Conclusion

When we repetitively practice behaviors, good or bad, those behaviors become habits. The habits that are bad for us are challenging to overcome. However, we can learn how to identify the triggers that make us indulge in our detrimental routines and then avoid the trigger or substitute it with positive behaviors such as exercise or enjoying a stroll in the park. 

 

Along the way, if we backslide, we must remain positive and persistent and keep trying. In the long run, by trying the preceding tips, you are taking a practical approach to making positive changes in your life.

References

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2012/01/breaking-bad-habits

 

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/breaking-bad-habits

 

https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/mind/2021/the-science-habits

 

The Influence Of Positivity: Fostering Optimism In Challenging Times

Just when we are sailing smoothly through life, something unexpected comes along and throws us into a downward spiral. Terrible accidents, job loss, illness, the challenges of aging, or the loss of a loved one all can hit us hard personally. On a broader scope, the age in which we live has more violent crime, unemployment, social and political unrest, and economic hardships, draining our ability to cope. 

 

However, even in distressing circumstances, you can learn to approach life with optimism. Science has shown that people tend to bounce back when faced with significant life stressors.

 

The Difference Between Positivity and Optimism

Oxford Languages defines optimism as “Hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.” In contrast, positivity is “The quality, character, or fact of being positive.”

 

In other words, optimism is anticipating positive outcomes in the future, whereas positivity is how we react to situations. An optimistic outlook helps us to foster positivity.

 

The Importance and Benefits of Optimism

Multiple studies were conducted to evaluate the links between optimism and psychological coping. The broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 1998, 2001) found that optimistic feelings are helpful. "Experiences of positive emotions during times of stress prompt individuals to pursue novel and creative thoughts and actions.” 

 

Research by Johns Hopkins expert Lisa R. Yanek, M.P.H., and her colleagues found that people prone to heart disease who had an optimistic viewpoint were “13% less likely than their negative counterparts to have a heart attack or other coronary event.”

 

There are many other benefits to being optimistic, including:

 

• Reduced Risk of Depression: Studies show that positive people have better mental health, lowering the risk and severity of depression.

• Healthier Lifestyle: Optimistic people typically make healthy choices such as eating nutritious foods, exercising, and getting sufficient sleep.

• Longer Lifespan: Those who are optimistic tend to have good health and live longer than pessimistic people.

• Better Coping: Optimistic people handle stress better and recognize that hardships are only temporary.

 

How Do I Become More Optimistic?

Adjust Your Mindset

 

A mindset is how people perceive themselves and their beliefs, contributing to their attitudes and behavior. “By understanding, adapting and shifting your mindset, you can improve your health, decrease your stress and become more resilient to life’s challenges.” You can learn to shift your mindset by practicing positive self-talk and daily positive affirmations.

 

• Positive Self-Talk: Self-talk is the inner discussion or thoughts we all have; our thoughts can be positive or negative. As humans, when faced with hardships, we tend to blame ourselves. For example, if you were laid off from work, you might think, “What did I do wrong?” or “I really messed up.” Instead, replace the negative thoughts with optimistic ones, such as “I have the skills to find an exciting new career.”

• Daily Positive Affirmations: Improve your self-esteem and positivity by practicing daily affirmations, which are things we say to ourselves to acknowledge our self-worth, such as: "I choose to be happy today." or "I am optimistic."

 

Socialize with Positive People

 

When you interact with optimistic people, you tend to become more optimistic. You can learn from other people and have a great support system. You can meet people by taking a class, joining a group or club, attending church, or volunteering.

 

• Practice Acceptance: Experiencing negative and positive emotions is part of life. Accepting and valuing everything that happens is essential as it will improve your coping ability during difficult times. An optimistic person will look at challenging times as lessons learned for the future.

 

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

 

Strive to eat unprocessed, nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and fish. Exercise for at least 30 minutes daily to reduce stress, improve strength, and lift your mood. Choose a form of exercise you enjoy, such as walking or riding a bicycle.

 

Laughter is Good Medicine

 

Laughter increases your oxygen-rich air intake, stimulating organs such as the heart and lungs. It releases endorphins, a “feel-good” hormone. Indulge in fun activities that make you laugh, and always try to find the humor in things.

 

Conclusion

Optimism is important for our mental and physical health and well-being. Being positive can reduce the risk of depression, improve our coping abilities, and contribute to a longer lifespan. Optimism is essential for our personal growth. When we are optimistic, we approach life’s challenging times with positivity and confidence.

 

References

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3132556/

 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/lisa-yanek 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/cheerful-heart-attack-risk-happy-well-being_n_3575548.html 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2894461/ 

https://news.stanford.edu/report/2021/09/15/mindsets-clearing-lens-life/ 

https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/how-to-stay-optimistic-when-so-much-is-still-unclear 

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_prime_your_mind_for_optimism 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/self-talk 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456 

Mindful Living: The Path To A More Fulfilling Life

Mindfulness is not an out-of-reach foreign concept that is difficult to add to your everyday life. It’s actually quite the opposite. Mindfulness is a meditation technique that has many benefits and is very simple to use. Here we talk about what mindfulness and its benefits are as well as ways to include it in your daily living.

 

What is Mindful Living?

 

Mindful living simply means incorporating the practice of mindfulness into your everyday life. As a beginner, you’ll need to make a conscious effort to practice mindfulness as you go about your day. Once you hone your skills, you’ll find yourself engaging in mindfulness automatically as you complete your daily tasks.

 

Mindfulness is a mental state in which you are fully aware of the present moment. You engage with your five physical senses and free thoughts. You allow yourself to experience the moment from an objective perspective. In mindfulness, it’s important to refrain from viewing experiences as “good” or “bad.”

 

How Is Mindful Living Beneficial?

 

Mindful living has benefits that reach every core life area, including mental health, physical health, social relationships, employment, recreation, etc. Here are just a few of the benefits that mindful living provides:

 

• Less rumination on undesired thoughts

• Stress reduction

• Better cognitive function

• Less emotional reactivity

• Higher satisfaction with relationships

• Better mental health

• Stronger immune function

 

How to Live Mindfully

 

There are many ways to introduce mindfulness into your daily life. It is a form of meditation as well as a mindset. First, you can start by scheduling a structured mindfulness session into each day. Ten-minute sessions are a good starting point. You can add them to your wake up or bedtime routine so that they’re easy to structure into your day. Here are some ways to practice mindfulness during these sessions:

 

• Get yourself into a comfortable position within a quiet and calm environment.

• Starting at either end of your body, gradually tense and relax your muscles and joints. Pay attention to the physical sensations as you do so.

• Take slow, deep breaths. Count how many you take and how long they last. Feel and visualize the air working through your respiratory system.

• Allow yourself to have thoughts of positive messages.

• Repeat encouraging mantras aloud.

• Listen to a guided meditation.

• Once you get better at these techniques, you can begin to practice them in a less structured way. Here are some ways to engage in mindfulness throughout your day:

• Practice mindfulness when you get a small break in your day, such as at work or while sitting at a red light in traffic.

• Journal at the end of each day to recap your experiences and note what you are grateful for that day.

• Create a positive affirmation jar and start your day by reading a slip out of the jar.

• Take inventory of your five physical senses as you complete daily activities, such as walking, driving, eating, hygiene tasks, and recreational activities.

• Focus on a single task at a time. For example, instead of listening to music while making dinner, prepare the meal without additional stimuli. You can feel the ingredients in your hands, hear the sound of chopping, smell the food cooking, see the variety of colors in the ingredients, and taste test the meal as you’re preparing it.

• Participate in creative recreational activities, such as coloring, sewing, sculpting, etc.

• Look at an object for a few minutes to notice details you’ve missed in the past.

• Actively listen in conversations with others.

• Practice empathy. Imagine what others may be experiencing and why they’re acting the way they are.

 

Think about what you will say before you say. Remember that it’s okay to take a pause in conversation if needed.

 

Source Links

 

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/mind-body/mindfulness-activities

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320392

  

https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/

Time Management: Boost Productivity With Effective Strategies

Time management at its simplest is the way you make use of your time. Your productivity is what you can do in a given frame of time. Your projects will progress more quickly if you can accomplish more each day. If you have many distractions, this will lessen the amount of progress you can make.

 

Here are some strategies to boost productivity. You can start using most of them now.

 

1. Focus your time on one thing before you start another.

 

Lots of people like to multi-task, but that is actually not as efficient as finishing one task before starting another. If you try to do more things at once, it can have a negative impact on your cognitive ability. This may make you feel dissatisfied with the progress you make, or you may feel unproductive.

 

Compartmentalizing your tasks is helpful, too. For example, if part of your job involves writing, you can plan:

 

• Mondays are for researching.

• Tuesdays through Thursdays are for writing.

• Fridays are for editing.

 

This will help you remain on one task until it is completed, which is the easiest way for your mind to focus on what needs done first. 

 

2. Plan your next workday the day before.

 

Workdays may often leave you scrambling, since it feels like you’re behind on projects before you start the day. Rather than planning your workday in the morning, spend the last 10 minutes of every day planning for tomorrow. 

 

This plan increases motivation, since you’ll know what’s in front of you before you log in each morning. It will also ensure that your most important tasks for each day get done. Rather than hurrying at the end of the day to finish things up, you can incorporate your most important tasks into your schedule for the next day. 

 

3. Limit the distractions that lower productivity.

 

It’s natural to become distracted once in a while. Co-workers, social media, email and many other things could derail your progress. Some of these can’t be controlled but dedicate your effort to limiting how many things are able to distract you. 

 

Identify distractions and find solutions that will minimize them:

 

• Should you leave your cell phone in another room?

• Should you turn off email or text notifications?

• Should you disable social media platforms on your work computer?

 

These will all help you to limit distractions and stay focused on your work. 

 

4. Track the time you have and how you use it. 

 

Time management is most effective when it increases the time you have to devote to important tasks. When you do that, you’ll gain the independence and freedom to spend more time doing things you like, without it affecting your tasks that need completed. 

 

Keeping a time log sounds rather boring, and it takes a bit of time itself, but it’s time you’re investing in getting projects done. If you’re trying to optimize time, you need to know where you are spending time, and what tasks are being accomplished. 

 

5. Take a bit of time to recharge yourself.

 

Being productive is certainly the goal, but you do need to take occasional breaks, as well. Making time in the evening and planning for a good sleep overnight will help you to perform the next day. 

 

Breaks between work meetings allow your brain to reset, which will lower your stress level, along with everyone else’s. Taking time now and then to relax will help in keeping you energized and capable of improving your focus when you get back to work. 

 

Conclusion

 

There isn’t one special strategy for improving your time management, so try out one or a couple at a time and see how they work for you. Prioritize your tasks based on their importance and take time to reassess them. 

 

Use online apps and tools that will boost your productivity. Hone your time management skills to keep moving forward in working easier, faster and better. 

 

Sources

 

https://www.coursera.org/articles/time-management

 

https://asana.com/resources/time-management-tips

 

https://www.upwork.com/resources/time-management-strategies

 

https://www.rainsalestraining.com/blog/time-management-tips-to-boost-your-productivity

 

https://www.usemotion.com/blog/time-management-strategies

 

Time Management And Self-Care: Balancing Work And Wellbeing

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/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/basics/healthy-diets/hlv-20049477

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916

 

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898

 

https://www.lifehack.org/876079/prioritization-matrix