Fitting Self-Care Into Your Busy Schedule

Have you thought that your schedule was too busy to allow for self-care? All aspects of self-care – physical, emotional, and social – contribute to your overall wellbeing. Having a self-care routine decreases stress, lessens anxiety, and increases your feelings of happiness. Let’s face it … how can you maintain that busy schedule if you don’t refill your cup? It’s so important! Here are a few practical ways for fitting self-care into your busy schedule:

Take Care of Your Body

Exercising and eating healthy is not just something we do to prevent illness — it’s an integral part of your self-care routine. Treat your body right by feeding it nutritious and delicious food, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep at night. Get outside for some fresh air every day, even for just a few minutes. Taking care of your physical body also improves your mental wellbeing — so it will be worthwhile for you to emphasize getting this onto your daily schedule.

Speak Kindly to Yourself

Start complimenting yourself in the same way you compliment your loved ones. Even better, do it looking at yourself in a mirror. The words we speak to ourselves hold so much value, and it’s essential that we speak kindly. Notice your mental self-talk throughout the day. I’m guessing that you speak a whole lot rougher to yourself than you would to others – I know I do. In what ways can you flip any negative self-talk into something positive? Putting effort into giving yourself grace will make a tremendous impact on your health and outlook.

Make Time For Yourself

It’s so easy to get caught up with deadlines and work-life that we forget to prioritize ourselves and do things we love. Schedule some time for yourself and make sure you’re doing something you love each day. Do whatever it is that makes you happy, just make sure you do it! If you have a jam-packed schedule, start by scheduling just 5-10 minutes per day. Starting small is better than waiting for the perfect time.

Do the Difficult Tasks

Sometimes self-care means eating a frog, metaphorically. If you have a task that’s been looming over your head for weeks, get it done. If you need to do some difficult self-reflection, re-build relationships, study, or pay bills, do it. It might not be fun or easy, but you will feel so much better afterward. These to-do’s lingering on our list weigh on us, so do yourself a favor and release yourself from the big task by checking it off your list.

Build a Positive Social Circle

Surround yourself with supportive people who want to see you do well in life. Rebuilding your social life can increase feelings of purpose and your sense of belonging. So make time for friends and family, build a weekly lunch date into your schedule (even if it’s virtual), and prioritize connecting with others.

It’s said that “all work and no play” makes you a dull person. I would say it’s more likely to make you unwell. You can’t continue to pour from an empty cup. Start by saying “yes” to yourself. Choose one of these ideas and fill your cup a little at a time. Life will be so much better!