Self Care ideas 1

 Practise Self-Care

We are in difficult times and although we are moving slowly into a time where we can take more steps to look after ourselves, we still need to be aware of our physical condition and how well we cope with our new reality.

The following is adapted from an article written by Charlotte Bailey, who is a Content at LifeWorks.

Here are some ideas of how you can incorporate self-care into your daily routine.

Relaxation, mindfulness, and mental health

1.  Remember a time when your phone was just a phone and you answered it if you wanted to, not because you had to? Well, that can happen again, put your phone on “airplane mode” or “do not disturb” for an hour.

2.  Start a journal to check in with how you are feeling on a daily or weekly basis.

3.  Take time for small, simple pleasures, like playing with a pet or watching the clouds drift by and with your mind paint shapes into the clouds.

4.  Read a book, a real book, not on your electronic reader and ignore all your electronic devices like the TV, or your smartphone.

5.  Be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself as you would a friend or a loved one. Don’t say negative things about yourself or your body.

Physical health

1.    Take some time to run a bath, and enjoy it.

2.    Practice good Sleep Hygiene such as setting a bedtime and stick to it.

3.    Get regular exercise but check with your medical provider if you have not exercised for a while. Start easy by just going for a walk around your neighbourhood. Go for a walk in the mornings or evenings.

4.    There are free step counters for your phone, or if you want you could invest in a pedometer or step counter so that at the end of each day you can see how active you were. There is no need to take 10,000 steps the research I have seen suggests that between 4,000 and 5,000 steps may help you stay healthy.

5.    Make sure you stay hydrated. Do not over hydrate yourself that can be dangerous. Check with your medical provider about how much liquid you need a day. Carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go.

6.    Wear your facemask when you go out and physically distance (6 feet or 2 metres).