Love Yourself!

Finding time to plan that business trip and meet friends for lunch while working all day is tough. Taking time for ourselves? Nearly impossible!

“Our collective mindset regarding self-care is in need of a wake up call,” Dr. Shealynn Buck, national medical director for Blue MedSpa, tells PINK. “We dismiss the responsibility of taking care of ourselves as a luxury, a selfish pleasure and even a waste of time.”

Getting a massage, reading a book or taking a short vacation might seem self-indulgent. However, not making time to care for ourselves can lead to burnout

and disease. And the benefits aren’t just self-serving. “[Self-care] includes taking care of your body, mind, emotions and spirit so you can effectively take care of everything and everyone else in your life.”

Want more?

Dr. Buck says our tendency to de-prioritize our needs may be biological, cultural or even moral. She suggests creating “no cell zones” during certain times of day or in parts of your home, enlisting accountability partners and sticking to a self-care plan.

You don’t have to spend all day at a spa to feel refreshed: experts say planning a day of healthy cooking, taking a stroll around the neighborhood or five minutes of conscious breathing wherever you are can help clear your mind.

Bonus PINK Link: Get more self-care tips from Dr. Buck in our online exclusive.

Minute Mentor: Sydell Harris, founder of Spa Sydell, discusses how giving it your all can make you successful.

By Caroline Cox

“Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line.”  Lucille Ball