Are you someone who has always put self-care on the back burner because you’re too busy? Do you feel like self-care seems selfish and self-indulgent? You aren’t alone. A lack of self-care is bad for your mental health. It always leads to burnout, stress, and overwhelming feelings not only in your personal life but in your career as well.
Creating a self-care routine will help you build a healthy work-life balance, which will ultimately increase your salary, leadership roles, and most importantly, your happiness.
Positive lifestyle advice that will change your life
When it comes to creating a better life for yourself, true change starts from within. These tips are going to help you learn how to avoid burnout, set boundaries, value yourself, and make time for the things that bring you joy.
Remember that it’s okay to start small. You don’t have to change your whole life at once, and that’s not practical, either. Incorporate one or two of these self-care actions into your life every month and watch your mood, relationships, and career transform for the better.
1. Rest and recharge
Poor sleep can lead to irritability, negative thinking, depression, and anxiety. When you set time aside to rest, unplug, and disconnect from life’s stressors, you end up healing your body. Proper rest promotes better mental health, boosts your creativity, increases your productivity, and improves your overall well-being.
At night, start by putting your phone and laptop in another room. Don’t be afraid to make yourself unavailable to other people. Stick to a set sleep schedule and make sure you allocate at least eight hours for sleep. Set yourself up for a successful night of rest by getting blackout curtains, limiting daily naps, and eating healthy foods.
2. Create healthy balance
Creating a healthy balance in your life might not look the same day in and day out. Balance is all about identifying your top priorities and sticking to what’s most important by scheduling those priorities into your day. Buy a planner and set time blocks in your schedule to help you take control of your day, which will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Set boundaries and limit time spent with people who steal your energy or stress you out. Say no more often, and don’t overcommit yourself when it comes to work and social settings.
3. Practice self-reflection
Self-discovery starts with self-reflection. It can help you uncover ways to deal with situations and emotions rather than letting them consume you. Try journaling every morning or evening to help you achieve mental clarity in your life. Learn how to better understand yourself. Sometimes, just the act of writing down your emotions will allow you to process and move through them in a more manageable way.
4. Ask for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Being overworked doesn’t do anyone any favors and it only leaves you feeling drained. It can be challenging to give up control, especially if you’re going back to work after having a baby. But when you stop doing everything on your own, you’ll feel supported and gain confidence knowing that you have people in your life who have your back.
Ask for help with child care to give you more time to focus on your mental health and career. If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, seek out a therapist to help you cope with life’s demands and offer you solutions to feel more at ease.
5. Create a morning routine
Make time for morning rituals to set the tone for your day! Start each day fresh by focusing on what’s in front of you. A morning routine could include relaxing with your favorite beverage, journaling, reading, meditating, or taking the time to map out your day. There is no one-size-fits-all schedule when it comes to your morning routine. Find what works for you and stick to what makes you feel ready to take on the day.
6. Do more of what inspires you
It’s important to do what inspires you both at home and in your career. When you’re inspired, you’re more likely to rise above challenges, get creative, and work on your goals.
In your personal life, do things just for fun like playing an instrument, painting, or practicing yoga. When it comes to your career, make sure you’re doing something you love to help keep you engaged and excited. If you dread getting up to go to work every single day, you’ll feel frustrated and anxious, which only worsens over time.
7. Utilize positive affirmations
Affirmations are positive “I am” statements that will help you overcome self-sabotaging behaviors and negative thoughts. Repeat affirmations as often as you can. Write them on your bathroom mirror and put sticky notes up around your house or in your car. If you aren’t used to saying affirmations, they may feel like just words in the beginning, but over time, as you continue to reinforce them, you’ll start to believe you are those things!
8. Ask for what you want
It can be challenging to ask for what you want. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll come off as demanding or greedy. Maybe you’re just not used to having your wants and needs met. But no matter why you might hesitate, asking for what you want actually makes life a lot simpler and helps you avoid confusion both in relationships and at work.
People can’t read your mind, so if you want a better salary, you have to be willing to negotiate with your boss. Or if you want your partner to be more proactive about cleaning up around the house, you have to be willing to have a conversation and express your needs. It might be scary at first, but in the end, you’ll be glad you spoke up.
9. Be selfish with your money
Make sure you’re taking care of yourself financially and use your money to set yourself up for success. Money is a lot like oxygen, when you have enough of it, you don’t think about it. However, when you’re lacking it, it’s all you can think about.
Use your cash to pay off debt, put money into savings, and invest in your future. Whether you have hard-earned cash or stimulus money, know that it’s okay to put yourself first!
10. Take care of your body
Exercising at least three days a week is a gamechanger! It will improve your mood, reduce stress, boost your energy levels, and promote better sleep. You can do an at-home YouTube workout, hire a personal trainer, or attend group fitness classes to help you stay healthy and boost your self-confidence.
Taking care of your body doesn’t stop there. It’s also important to make sure you’re eating healthy foods to support your energy levels, mental focus, and emotional stability throughout the day. Eating healthy foods is easier than you think. Start by checking out Pinterest which is full of great meal prepping ideas, as well as easy healthy at-home recipes.
You do you, boo
Self-care isn’t selfish, and when you incorporate it into your life, it will help you create mental clarity, achieve your goals, and reach for your dreams! While life can be quite the balancing act, there’s no need to let financial woes contribute to your stress levels and take up mental real estate. Open a RoarMoney℠ account to give yourself room to invest more into self-care. With RoarMoney, you’ll be able to easily track your spending and budget like a pro, allowing you to get out there and do you, boo!
