Why Taking Some Time for Yourself Today will Benefit You Tomorrow July 31, 2015Featured, My LifeOff

There are very few things you can do to control the amount of work you have or the list of tasks that you have to get finished by the end of the day. What you can usually control is what you choose to do during the day to relax and take care of yourself. Working flat out may benefit your work life in the short term but you are likely to reach a point where you burn out; making both your work and personal life suffer. By taking some time for self-care every day and putting rituals in place that promote a calm and healthy lifestyle, you will find that you become more efficient in work and happier at home.

Self-care isn’t always easy. Taking time out for you is essential in today’s crazy, fast-paced lifestyle but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do. Most people have to work on their self-care rituals because they don’t come naturally, but by implementing them every day it can soon become a habit that is easier to find the time for.

Focus on your breathing. Many people opt for fairly formal self-care rituals such as practicing yoga or tai chi. Others just take the principles of these and choose to use parts of them, such as focusing on breathing. These practices force people to focus on nothing but their breathing and their body, making it a fantastic way to clear your mind of any stresses or worries.

Small rituals can have big impacts. Self-care rituals don’t have to include any formal types of practice, they can be anything that you choose to do that helps to maintain a calm and healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally. This might be something small that you do every day, such as making an active choice to walk more slowly in order to stop yourself feeling rushed and pressured, or choosing not to switch your mobile phone on until you get to work so that you can’t access your work emails until you are being paid to do so.

Simply relax. As well as small daily rituals, you may also choose to include more elaborate forms of ensuring you take the time to relax. Slipping into a hot bath with a good book and making sure you stay in there for at least an hour while you unwind can help to put even the most stressful of days behind you. Or if you’re lucky enough to own a hot tub head out to the garden and relax in style.

Do what is best for you. If relaxing in a hot tub isn’t your thing and you find being active actually makes you relax more, then taking up an activity such as running is a great self-care ritual. Not only does it promote good mental health by forcing you to step away from work, it is also fantastic for your physical well-being. But if you find you relax and unwind most around other people, then having a night out with your friends, or a dinner at home with your family might be the best choice for you, and you should ensure that you do this at least once a week.

Self-care rituals vary from person to person and there are no rules about what you should do. The only essential part of self-care is that anyone who wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle needs to regularly find the time to implement whatever works best for them.

Photo by Valua Vital | Shutterstock

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