Self Care
More often than not, we tend to take on too many responsibilities in different areas of our lives. Whether it be in our family life, work life, personal life, home life, or in regard to any other aspect of our lives, it is unhealthy for our bodies to be constantly overworked by our commitments. It is so important for us to recognize when we are feeling overwhelmed or stressed in order to lessen our obligations and protect our emotional, physical, psychological and spiritual well-being.
Personally, I enjoy being out-and-about on a daily basis and always having an activity planned for the day. However, over time I start to get burnt-out, and it’s extremely difficult to keep up with my priorities- leading to a lack of motivation. By being attentive and aware of our overall wellbeing, we can avoid feeling this burnout and dissatisfaction. Setting priorities and eliminating activities that do not benefit us can help minimize stress and improve our determination in our commitments. Doing what you love and have true passion for never gets old. Burnout comes simply from things that we no longer desire to participate in and dread having to accomplish.
Part of this elimination process comes from learning how to say “no” and setting boundaries. Sometimes we see ourselves living for others instead of taking the time to focus on our own needs. Self-care is a necessity, not a luxury. We must learn to honor our body and ensure that we are receiving the time that we need in order to take care of ourselves. Most of the time, this means turning down the offer from a friend or work so we can reserve personal time and avoid over-committing. “People-pleasers” can feel as if they are letting others down by rejecting their plans, however we can only give others the energy that we have to offer. This is why it is necessary for us to set aside time to reenergize and relax. Boundaries can be set in order to make sure that we are taking a healthy amount of time for ourselves. Implementing a start and end time for the day, taking a half an hour to relax each day, scheduling a day of the week with no commitments, or limiting the number of activities that you have in a day are all ways to work towards a healthy balance of work and relaxation time in your day-to-day schedule. Monitoring these two aspects of life is helpful in attaining a stress-free and rewarding lifestyle.
Self-care is a huge part of taking care of our bodies. Without proper attention to our personal feelings and actions, our bodies will be affected physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically. We must take time away from our busy lives to focus on our personal wellbeing.