Too Busy for Self-Care?

Self-care is a buzz word that has been swarming around us for a while, and it’s even more common today as a result of pandemic stress and anxiety.

Do you ever hear it and think you’re too busy for self-care? If you have children or are a care-giver to older adults, self-care seems to take a back-seat to all the other responsibilities that fall on your shoulders.

When we think about self-care, we imagine getting massages regularly, going for mani-pedis, meditating for an hour each day (a meditation myth!), or long hikes. So what if we called it something else? Try thinking about self-care in terms of taking a moment for yourself and relieving some stress or pressures you might feel day after day.

Here are some things you can try that don’t require a lot of time or money but that can make a significant difference in your stress level:

Meditation

I know what you’re thinking, but meditating doesn’t require you to block out a ton of time or even to make a designated corner in your bedroom. Try this: beginners should start by doing as little as 5 minutes once a day, working up to 20 minutes per day. Don’t just give up if you start to feel like it isn’t working. It will take time and practice to achieve successful meditation. The most important thing is to keep trying to make it a daily habit. 

In meditation, you should focus on one thing at a time. When you are a beginner, it will help to focus on something like a mantra or visual object. Before you decide on a mantra, clear your mind and let go of the day’s activities and don’t think about tomorrow. Focus on the moment and only the moment.

Take a long, warm (or hot!) shower

Consider buying yourself a nice body scrub so you have something to look forward to in the shower. You can really take your time and relax. 

Take a break at the park

If you usually don’t get alone time, ask your partner or a loved one to take over watching kids for an hour or two on a Saturday or take your lunch break during the week and head to a park. Sit on a bench with a good book or magazine and enjoy the nature and uninterrupted quiet time.

Start journaling

If you’re not much of a writer, you can get a one-line-a-day journal and do just that – write one line per day. Keep it next to your nightstand and jot something down just before bed. It’s a nice way to reflect on your day.

Think about your blood sugar

Here’s a tip from Women’s Day Magazine:

If you start your day with sugar or other simple carbs, you may want to change your strategy. “Protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar,” Sell explains. When your blood sugar tips too much in either direction, your stress response gets engaged. Eating a bit of protein 3-4 times a day can help even things out. Complex carbohydrates can also help, and may even increase the amount of serotonin in your brain.

Try these easy tips for taking time for yourself and report back to us! How did it go and were they easy to do? Did they help your stress level?

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We believe in making healthy, lifelong changes to your daily eating and exercise routine combined with more than 50 years of proven weight loss experience! At Physician’s Weight Control & Wellness, we are here for you every step of the way.

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