Self care is basically anything you do to take care of yourself, but between zoom calls, home school and daily chores, it might be rare that you find the time to really slow down and do something that is just for you. As cliche as it is, you cannot pour from an empty cup, and taking care of your mind and body is important. If you find it difficult to take the time, maybe you even feel guilty or selfish for practicing self care, read on for 5 tips on making time for self care, no matter how busy your schedule is.
PUT IT ON YOUR SCHEDULE
You would feel guilty about canceling plans with a friend or missing an important meeting. Taking the time to fill your own cup is just as important. A great hack to finding time for self care is simply, making time for self care. Put short breaks for mindfulness or a little bit of movement on your daily to-list and schedule a couple of longer “meetings” with yourself every week, where you can do a whole yoga class or go for a long walk. Honor these plans and do not cancel on yourself.
A LITTLE BIT GOES A LONG WAY
Sure, elaborate self care routines and 10 step bedtime routines sound great, but I know that might not be realistic for everyone and certainly not every day. But rather than thinking that you don’t have time for self care, just because you cannot find the time for a 90 minute yin class, start small. Start your day with a 5 minute meditation and spend another 5-10 minutes on your lunch break stretching and moving your body in a mindful way. 5 minutes here and there can make a big difference for your wellbeing.
DISCOVER YOUR FAVOURITE SELF CARE
Self care shouldn’t be something you dread doing. If you’ve tried and tried, but simply do not enjoy yoga, then don’t force it. Try something new and find something that you truly enjoy. It’ll be much easier to find the time to do it, if your self care practice is something that you enjoy and look forward to. Self care can be so many different things, and as long as it fills your cup and makes you feel nourished and happy, it doesn’t really matter what it is.
CHANGE YOUR DEFINITION OF SELF CARE
If you’re really busy and simply can’t fathom taking the time to do something like a yoga practice, taking a long bath or trying meditation, you might need to simply change your definition of self care. Our mind is powerful and the thoughts we have impact both our physical and mental wellbeing. Luckily we also have the power to take charge of our thoughts and emotions and change our perspective. Rather than saying “I wish I had time to do a yoga class” switch that to “I’m going to do 3 stretches in bed before I go to sleep tonight and it’s gonna make me feel so much better.” And instead of thinking “I wish I had time for a long bath” turn that into “I’m going to spend 5 whole minutes self-massaging my face, when I remove my makeup tonight and I really look forward to taking that time to slow down.”
SET A SELF CARE GOAL
I love a challenge and although we mostly think about soft and nourishing practices when it comes to self care, setting a goal can help you stick to your self care routine and make it a daily habit. Maybe you want to practice more yoga? Then challenge yourself to doing a new online class every day for 2 weeks. Want to become less stressed? Maybe try a meditation challenge or even just set a goal of going to bed 20 minutes earlier every day for a month. Involve a friend or family member and hold each other accountable, put it on the fridge and cross off each day or set a daily alarm on your phone, whatever works for you.
Explore The Self Care Space for inspiration and rituals that will nourish and replenish your soul.
The Self Care Space is your online wellness hub for you to come and top up your self care. With 250+ on demand videos including yoga flows, pilates classes, yin yoga therapy classes, guided meditations, sound healing, breath work, self care rituals and more, any time you can come to the library, select your choice of self care and pad out some time in your day to look after yourself.
Whether you enjoy a 10 minute gentle stretch in the morning or a full yoga class in the evening, the library is your access to your daily wellbeing.
Sign up here to start your self care healing journey today.
