It’s no question that most of us get caught up with work, responsibilities or just life in general. But do we ever try to stop, take a break and recap? We need to really take the time to take a break for our own mental health and wellbeing.
The routine of work can be draining and many times, we forget about ourselves. We need to take care of ourselves first and foremost! Here are some tips to include simple habits of self-care in our daily routine.
- Go for a walk
Drop everything and go for a walk. A walk is as simple as it gets! No matter what kind of day it was, a walk can really give us time to breath and unwind. Taking a walk especially in a place of nature or a park can be really soothing. Many time, you never know what you can walk into, like an event happening where it can definitely change your mood, and let’s be real, people watching is always fun (as long as it’s genuine lol). So, next time you’re just sitting at home, get up and just take that walk in a place that you really enjoy.
2. Revisit your goals
Often times, we can really get sucked into our routines and time doesn’t pause for any of us. A good habit is to pause yourself and choose a day of the month to revisit your goals and see if what you’re doing in your routine is helping you work towards those goals. This also helps you look at things from the outside and put everything in perspective. Whatever way is easier for you, whether it’s writing it down on a designated notebook, or having an alarm set up on your phone and writing it in your notes, start taking control of your own path to pave the way to the life that you’re passionate about. This is a time to be fully honest with yourself and dig deep into asking yourself what it is you really want in life without thinking about what others may think. It’s you, yourself and YOURSELF.
3. Tidy up your space
Yes, most of us do it, especially during the workweek. We all have that chair, surface etc that our clothes get to meet on a daily basis. But tidying up your space atleast once a week, can be amazing for you. By tidying up your space, you’re clearing the energy in the room. According to a University of California study, it was shown that there were higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in women living in “cluttered” homes than those who lived in tidier homes. A clearer space makes a clearer mind. This is the your space, the place where you come back to unwind. Having it be cluttered can cause us indirect stress that we’re not realizing. Even if you start by tidying up a section at a time, little by little, it can go a long way!
4. Count your Blessings
There are times in busy lives, where we forget to stop and be grateful for the things that we DO have. We take many simple things for granted, and stopping and practicing gratitude can really affect the way we look at the world. A study on the effects of gratitude on psychological and physical wellbeing showed that by just being more conscious on gratitude, a group felt much happier and had an increased wellbeing in their daily lives. Whether you make it a habit to write one thing you are grateful for at the end of each day or just think about one thing everyday can shift our focus on more positive aspects and keep us motivated.
5. Dance
This may not be for everyone, but hey, this is a solo party and you are the DJ and the audience. If you could dance like no one is watching, why not do it. Move your body in ways that you wouldn’t in a busy party. And you know what, take that mindset to that party when you’re ready and dance however YOU want! Put on your favorite music and just take a little dance break, it could really change your mood, or even make you laugh with yourself. Laughing and dancing? Count us in.
6. Be in the company of a loved one
Enjoy some time with a parent, sibling, best friend, lover, dear friend, who ever it is that brings you genuine joy. Being in the presence of someone we truly enjoy being around can help also be a stress reliever. We get so busy sometimes, we don’t realize that it’s been a month since we’ve enjoyed quality time with a loved one. Enjoying non-work time—laughing, sharing about life, listening to each other—can get you home in a good mood to finish of your night.
So whatever it may be in busy times, taking a step back to unwind and take that time for yourself or hang out with that one person can really help us take control of our own routine, and not have the routine take over us. Incorporating simple things like these into our daily lives can alter our mindset after a long day and probably motivate us to achieve more for ourselves. Which one will you start of with!?
CcORE Living 