Infocore Connect: It’s Time For Self-Care!

Have you been feeling burned out, stressed or anxiety lately? If so, it might be time to focus on the most important person in your life – YOU.

Most of us have a habit of using all of our energy on others. We focus on things like work, kids, friends and family while completely forgetting to focus on ourselves. A great way to help fix this problem is to incorporate a self-care routine into your life. When we take the time to take care of ourselves, we experience way less stress and much more happiness. Below are some ways that you can incorporate self-care practices into your daily routine.

Take Care of Your Body

When we’re stressed and feeling overwhelmed, our bodies suffer. According to WebMD, stress can manifest itself into physical symptoms, including headaches, stomach issues, high blood pressure, chest pain and sleep disturbances. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, then it’s time to listen to your body and give it the rest and relaxation it needs!

Mild exercise like walking or stretching can have profound benefits when it comes to reducing the toll that stress takes on the body. Even sitting still and breathing deeply can have a significant calming effect. Getting a massage, taking a walk or simply getting a good night’s sleep are all ways to let your body rest and recharge in order to combat stress-related maladies.

Take Care of Your Emotions

Emotional self-care may be the hardest one to incorporate when you lead a busy life. The same way that stress can manifest itself into physical symptoms, it can manifest itself into psychological and emotional symptoms as well. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks and OCD can all be triggered by stress and are just as detrimental to your overall health as the physical ailments mentioned above.

Your spiritual, mental and emotional well-being can all benefit from a self-care routine. Journaling, talking to a friend, visiting a therapist, or practicing gratitude and mindfulness are all great examples of things you can do to take care of yourself. Virtually any activity that brings you joy can be filed under the category of self-care. Whether it’s taking a bubble bath, gardening, traveling or knitting, if it brings you a sense of calm and peace, then make sure to incorporate the activity into your regular routine.

Take Care of Your Mind

In addition to maintaining your mental health and keeping symptoms of mental illnesses like depression and anxiety at bay, keeping your mind active and engaged in non-stressful activities is an important part of self-care, too. Think of it like exercise for your mind. Any activity that stimulates brain activity in a way that doesn’t cause stress or worry is the goal with this form of self-care.

Brain-friendly activities come in many different forms, such as reading a book, learning a new language, doing the daily crossword, playing cards, doing sudoku or putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Many of these activities can be done with others, so if you’re an extrovert, don’t worry – self-care doesn’t have to mean self-isolation. Or, if you’re an introvert like I am, rejoice! Now you have a very good reason to find your favorite happy place and exercise your brain in peace and quiet.

Self-care may be a buzzword that’s tossed about quite a bit these days, but it’s a necessary part of a person’s overall health and well-being. We’re not suggesting that you shirk your work or family responsibilities, of course, but finding a nice balance between caring for yourself and caring for others is the ultimate goal. Your health – physical, emotional and mental – depends on it!

There are many ways to incorporate self-care into your everyday life. Learn more about self-care from EveryDay Health, VeryWell Mind and the Health Coach Institute.