People often identify many barriers to why they are unable to make time for themselves. They discuss hectic work schedules, tedious chores, and taking care of family, are some of many reasons why people are unable to engage in self-care activities. Time management is important a very key to finding the time to look after oneself.
What does self-care even mean? One can correlate it to relaxation, but it’s not just the physical component- it’s also emotional. It is important for people to identify what works for them so that they feel more at ease with themselves. The benefits of self-care are correlated to one’s mood. When one engages in enjoyable and calming activities, which can consist of working out, getting a massage, laying down in the dark, listening to music, taking a bath, or even getting a manicure, we can easily redirect our stress into something more positive. Oftentimes, people confuse relaxation with highly stimulating activities, such as watching television or playing video games. Although these are often great ways to relieve some stress or process feelings, one’s mind is not truly at ease especially if one is watching suspenseful or violent content. It puts people on edge and makes one think about the outcome of the situation, which defeats the purpose of relaxation. If we truly sit there and compare how we feel before we do a fun activity, then we can see how different we feel after we did something nice for ourselves.
It takes practice. People need to remember to make time for themselves and truly value themselves. Taking as little as 15 minutes a day can make all of the difference. It truly is about self-reflection and learning how to take care of oneself.
People report feeling happier when they engage in self-care activities. When we feel happier, we are more motivated to work toward our goals. Such a small adjustment that we can make in our life can make all the difference. Conduct an experiment. Try it out and see if it works for you. Monitor how it affects you and determine what works best for you.
