Are you struggling with making self-care a consistent part of your life?
You are not alone.
Do you usually discard your self-care routine as soon as life gets too busy?
I can totally relate to that.
“I don’t have time for myself” – was my greatest excuse of all times. Up until I figured how to make self-care a non-negotiable part of my everyday life.
I needed to burn out (that’s another story) to realize the importance of self-care rituals. I don’t want you BOO to go through such experience. Therefore, I am sharing with you what I did to create a self-care routine that I can actually stick to. You can do it, too.
I broke down my method into 6 simple steps to help you create a consistent self-care routine that will work for you.
There will be some bonus tips at the end and a printable self-care checklist, so keep reading.
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What is self-care and why is it important?
First and foremost, self-care can mean a lot of things and it goes beyond the occasional mani-pedi, massage or a spa day.
In a nutshell, self-care is an activity that refuels and nurtures you on a deep level. The activity that you engage in can differ from person to person depending on what makes you feel fully nourished.
It is important that you take good care of your body, mind and soul every day, not only when you are sick. In this way you can keep healthy, happy and fulfilled.
When your energy level is filled up and your batteries are recharged, you can give and serve on a much higher level. The way you take care of yourself lays the foundation for how you show up in your life, work and to the world.
What are some benefits of self-care?
Now, as the definition of self-care is in place let’s look at what happens when we add self-care into our lives.
The most obvious benefits are related to energy level and mood.
Benefits of self-care:
Increased productivity
Better physical health
Increased self-awareness
Enhanced self-esteem
More capacity to give
Why do we struggle with sticking with our self-care routine?
Above, we have discussed the importance of self-care and the amazing benefits it can have on your well-being.
But then… why do so many of us fail to be consistent with our self-care rituals?
Well, practicing self-care is not always easy.
Most of us are busy bees. We are having stressful jobs, climbing the corporate ladder or being a boss babe. Some of us are taking care of tiny humans and running a home while (and unfortunately) way too many of us are consumed with technology and social media. As a result of all these, me-time usually ends up at the bottom of the agenda.
I call it the “But I don’t have time” syndrome.
Another inhibiting factor is guilt. Often times, I hear women saying “I feel selfish when taking time for myself.”
I only have one thing to say to this, which you have probably heard before “You cannot pour from an empty cup” it might sound cliché but it doesn’t make it any less true.
With that said, no wonder why getting started with self-care can be challenging.
What’s an easy way to get started with creating a self-care routine?
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and see how you can make self-care consistent by following the next 6 steps.
Step 1
Assess
Do an evaluation. The key is to identify which areas of your life need attention.
Take a few minutes to think about which areas of your life are lacking some TLC. Close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths.
Not sure where to start and what areas to look at? Download your free Happiness Assessment where you can get familiarized with the 12 main areas of your life.
Step 2
Brainstorm
After you have identified in which areas you are lacking and where there’s some room for improvement. Let the brainstorming begin.
Listen to your gut, it’ll tell you the activities that will nourish you fully.
Another option can be that you come up with 2-3 ideas for each 12 areas of your life.
If you get stuck and need some inspiration, here is a great list of 45 self-care practices from Tiny Buddha divided into three categories: mind, body and soul.
Step 3
Start Slow
I used to have a tendency of getting really excited about new things and wanting to implement everything all at once.
Then I ended up overextending myself and soon I gave up. Does that sound familiar? – As you can see it is not a sustainable way of creating new habits.
At Step 2, you probably came up with 5-20 ideas that you could be doing for yourself. However, you may already feel that implementing all of them would overwhelm you.
Just keep in mind, progress over perfection !
Try to find only 1, maximum 2 activities / rituals from your list that you want to start doing.
Start small and build on practices that best serve you over time. Frankly, I think it’s best to start with the easiest habit first. It will give you a quick win and a sense of accomplishment.
Step 4
Schedule it
This is probably the most important step!
As easy as it is, you need to make time for self-care and it needs to be a priority.
How do you know when your next dentist appointment, business meeting or your kids’ playdate is? It is in your CALENDAR !
Do the same with your self-care plan. Put it in your calendar. And of course, don’t forget to involve your family and friends by letting them know exactly when you are having your me-time.
Step 5
Adjust your mindset
By scheduling your me-time, you have successfully cured the “But I don’t have time” syndrome.
However, we still need to eliminate guilt. You don’t have to justify spending time on and with yourself.
When your batteries are recharged, you’ll be able to give from a place of love and overflow.
You might not believe this just right now. But as soon as you built one self-care ritual into your life you’ll feel the positive impact it has on your mood and energy level. You will also notice a change in your interactions with your loved ones. And just like that POOF guilt disappears. But you’ve gotta start!
Step 6
Anchor a New Habit
The last step of the process is attaching a new habit to an already existing (old) one.
That is called anchoring.
Try to go through a typical day of yours and you’ll see how many habits you already have. For instance, getting dressed after waking up, getting to work in the morning or going to the bathroom before bedtime.
In this step you are going to take your new self-care habit and anchor it to one of your old habits.
It can be anything from 5-10 mins morning yoga before hopping in the shower, taking 3 deep breaths every time you need to tackle household chores or saying your affirmations to yourself while brushing your teeth.
One of my favourite anchors, I have recently started to use is when my partner and I are watching an episode of a Netflix series in the evening, I use a face roller to relax my facial muscles.
So what do you think?
I hope you are no longer willing to postpone picking up a self-care routine and actually implementing it. You deserve to feel great ❤️
Keep scrolling for EXTRA TIPS that can make sticking with your self-care routine easier.
EXTRA TIPS
Keep It Simple
Don’t sweat it too much. You are more likely to stick with your routine if you make it as easy and simple as possible. It doesn’t need to be complicated or take a vast amount of time.
Remember to have fun
I guess, it is an obvious one. If you don’t like what you are doing, it is less likely you are going to stick with it. Have you ever thought about that maybe you are not consistent with working out because you don’t enjoy the type of movement? Just asking…
Be in the present moment
Your self-care activity doesn’t count if you spent the whole time worrying about what you need to do the rest of the week or putting together a shopping list in your head.
Experiment
None of us are the same. Everyone has different needs and different ways to meet them. You might love learning new things, but you never liked reading books. Try audiobooks or videos instead, and keep trying until you find something that works for you.
Well, what do you say?
Are you ready to take on the world by creating a self-care routine that you truly love and makes you feel nourished?
I hope these 6 steps and the extra tips help you start on being consistent with your self-care rituals.
You must make self-care as a top priority so you can live a fulfilling life and give from a place of love.
The options are limitless.
❤️ Be good to yourself ❤️
Now I want to hear from you gorgeous! What do you think?
Are you going to give self-care a shot? Let me know in the comments below.
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