With depression being at an all-time high, we are having more conversations on the importance of self-care. It’s not surprising that many busy women find it difficult to put self-care into action. Juggling the demands of life can make doing something for yourself, on purpose, seem quite impossible. It doesn’t have to be, ladies!
Follow these 5 tips to start practicing self-care today.
1. Put YOU on Your Schedule
From meetings at work to conferences with your kids’ teachers, undoubtedly you are busy. Self-care is about deliberately adding your name to your calendar of events. After you’ve penciled yourself in, you aren’t allowed to cancel until further notice.
Self-care should be a regular part of your routine. Start by aiming to do something that will re-energize your body, mind or soul at least once a week. It doesn’t have to take up a lot of time or be anything elaborate. It can be anything! You can go catch your favorite movie or just sit in the park and take in the fresh air for 30 minutes. Listen to what your body needs and make the time to provide it for yourself.
2. Say "No" More Often
If you’re a busy woman, you probably think that saying "no" will cause the world to go up in flames. Well, guess what? Saying "no" is not the end of the world and not saying it enough could actually be hindering you from living your best life.
There’s only so much time in a day and if you’re spending most of it saying “yes” to every demand, chances are you’re neglecting yourself. I know, I know…your heart can’t bear disappointing anyone. So what can you do?
You can set boundaries and know your limits regarding your relationships at home and work. Boundaries allow you to say, “I can’t do this for you every day, but I can do it twice a month.” To be successful at saying "no", you must take the time to be honest with yourself about your feelings and needs.
3. Take Care of Your Physical Needs
This sounds like a simple one, but it can be difficult for the busy woman to take care of herself. If you put off doctor’s appointments or skip out on exercise for “more important things”, you’re putting your health on the back burner. It’s not just about how you look, but it’s about being healthy. You must make a conscious choice to take care of you.
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What does that look like? It could be as simple as eating at a restaurant that serves food that won’t put you at risk for diabetes instead of the one with only fried food options. In order to take care of yourself, you must evaluate what your body needs. Seeing your doctor on a regular basis will help you discover this.
4. Organize Your Life
This is a tough one. Especially if you have kids who have yet to put the words to the “Clean Up” song into action. Getting organized will give you more time to take care of you and prevent the stress that comes with always losing your car keys.
Having systems in place for completing household chores or preparing meals in advance can free you up to practice self-care. To avoid getting frustrated with this task, you may need the help of a professional organizer or organize one area of your life at a time until it’s complete.
5. Love Yourself
It may sound cliché, but self-love is the best love. Loving you means accepting your flaws, acknowledging your feelings, and knowing that you don’t owe perfection to anyone. Give yourself permission to be who you are.
Making changes or improving yourself should not be dictated by others. This will bring unwanted stress and disappointments into your life. Self-love is necessary to stay on the path of self-care.
Practicing self-care doesn’t mean you are being selfish or inconsiderate of others. Self-care allows us to give the very best version of ourselves. Ladies, we must do better by ourselves and make self-care a top priority!
Dr. Candace McMillon-Dantley is the health-empowering creator of The Doc Knows and she’s on a mission to motivate you to a life of health. She has a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences. When she’s not health writing, she is health motivating and educating during her interactive presentations on healthy nutrition, self-care and conditions of the body. Her experiences as a business owner, chiropractor, wife and mom of two resonate and relate with her audiences. Connect with Dr. Candace on Instagram @drcandace.
