Brainy Dose Presents:
13 Steps To Self Care - Tips For A Better
You
The world can be a stressful place.
In our everyday lives, we have to contend
with pressure from school, work, or even friends
and family.
It’s not uncommon to feel like we’re being
pulled in a million different directions - and
over time, the stresses of everyday life begin
to wear on us.
Sooner or later, this can have a negative
effect.
We can see our work start to slip; maybe our
friends or family feel we are becoming more
distant.
Or perhaps we start feeling over-tired and
sick.
The good news is that there is a solution:
it’s self care.
This is a powerful process with far-reaching
positive effects.
Research has shown that those who focus on
self-care are found to be more in touch with
their creative and productive side, meaning
better decision-making skills and an overall
boost in confidence.
As a result, they communicate more effectively
and build stronger relationships.
In this video, we’ve compiled some simple
and practical self care tips you can start
practicing today!
Number 1 - Stop Hitting The Snooze Button
Getting up early can be tough.
That’s why a lot of people try and ease
their way out of sleep, by using the snooze
button on their alarm clocks to grab an extra
5 minutes of sleep.
The reality however, is that using the snooze
button actually makes you more tired.
You’re not able to settle into a proper
sleep pattern before your alarm needs to be
snoozed again, and this creates a restless,
incomplete pattern at the start of your day,
making you feel overtired.
Experts in the field of sleep agree that the
best solution is to set your alarm for the
time that you know you need to be up for.
And while this seems harsh at first, it will
set up a solid sleep schedule that your body
can adapt to, leading you to feel more rested
and refreshed overall.
Number 2 - Learn To Anticipate Problems Before
They Arise
Starting your morning with a negative experience
can cast a shadow over the day, leaving you
to focus on negative feelings.
But this can be avoided.
Take a minute at the beginning of your day
to look ahead for potential stress points.
Are you pushing off some work or other commitments
because they seem like too much trouble - making
your schedule jam-packed?
Maybe you’re skipping breakfast to get to
work on time - leaving you playing catch-up
on your lunch break.
Put some time aside, be realistic and plan
out your schedule.
There’s plenty of stresses in everyday life,
but with proper planning, you can at least
minimize them.
Number 3 - Ask Yourself What You Need
This tip is simple, but many people struggle
with it.
You need to focus on your needs - the reality
that looking after yourself is important.
The best way to hold yourself to this, is
to make things simple.
Experts recommend using the effective acronym
‘HALT’ as a reminder to check if you are:
Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
If you try and ignore your needs - whether
they are physical or emotional - you’re
just setting yourself up for a fallout of
negativity.
The solution is to truly put time and effort
into listening to what you need to better
care for yourself.
Number 4 - Become Emotionally Aware
Emotional intelligence is a crucial and often
overlooked skill, but it is deeply important
to our development.
Getting in touch with your emotions and learning
to express them fluently will strengthen your
bonds with others.
A better understanding of your own emotions
will help you better relate to another person’s
emotional state, helping you be a better friend.
Focusing on your emotional intelligence will
also help you through trying times; while
strengthened empathy will allow you a deeper
understanding of others, solidifying and reinforcing
your relationships.
Number 5 - Spend Some Time Alone
An important aspect of self-care is taking
a solid amount of time out of your day or
week to do whatever you want - whether it’s
a bit of self-reflection, reading a good book,
or watching that show you’ve been meaning
to catch up on.
Believe it or not, even your trip to work
can be a space for ‘Me’ time.
Why not listen to an audiobook or podcast?
Or just enjoy the sounds of the city.
When you relax, your body actually has the
ability to lower cortisol and adrenaline,
as well as increase serotonin and dopamine
production - meaning that you’ll go from
feeling stressed to relaxed, and even happy.
Number 6 - Seek Out Happy People
Have you ever had the experience of seeing
someone laugh, and you felt their laughter
was almost contagious?
This is because human’s emotions are directly
influenced by the people they are around.
You can literally ‘absorb’ emotions from
others, so of course, the best choice is to
try and be close to people with positive and
happy ‘vibes’.
It may not be possible to always be close
to happy people, but even being near positive
people will help you feel better as you go
about your day.
The best thing about absorbing someone’s
happy attitude is that you can even pass it
on to another person, so it’s a win-win!
Number 7 - Cook At Home
It’s easy to default to food that is quick
to prepare, over what is nutritionally sound
- especially after a particularly hard day.
But the time saved by cutting corners on the
‘easy’ meals, takes a toll.
You’re left with lacklustre meals that don’t
truly satisfy your hunger or nourish your
body.
Try and set some time aside in the week to
make a healthy meal.
You can even invite friends over to make it
a more sociable night-in.
If you’re worried about your cooking skills,
the internet has countless tutorials to help
you.
Number 8 - Have A Power Nap
I know… you probably think this sounds crazy
- what’s a nap going to do on a hectic day?
Well, it may just be the thing your body needs.
A power nap can make all the difference, as
your body and mind get a chance to rest and
bounce back from the days’ stress.
An uninterrupted nap - as short as twenty
minutes - is actually enough to recharge your
batteries for the next few hours.
And the best thing about it, is that it won’t
disrupt your usual sleep pattern.
Number 9 - Get A Massage
Contrary to what you may believe, a massage
isn’t just for people at fancy resorts,
or sports stars recovering from an injury!
They are beneficial for a whole host of reasons
- helping your body and mind relax as stress
is released.
Massages can even lower your blood pressure
- making them an ideal choice if you’re
dealing with anxiety or depression.
And you won’t have to break the bank to
get a massage.
Check your local area for massage schools
that offer lower-priced choices, or check
in with your community’s health fair.
You can also look for tutorials on the internet
and learn to give yourself a massage.
Alternatively, you can invest in one of those
self-massagers.
Number 10 - Get Moving
Sometimes people can feel ‘frozen’ or
‘disconnected’ when they’re dealing
with high levels of stress, but by being active,
you can shake yourself out of it and get back
on track.
Go for a bike ride, swim a few laps, or simply
head out for a walk or a light jog.
These cyclical and rhythmic movements will
bring you back to the here and now, freeing
you from being miles away in your mind - so
you can get yourself out of the slump, caused
by stress.
Number 11 - Find Your Flow
Everyone has something they love to do, some
kind of skill or hobby that they could spend
hours on and still enjoy.
When you feel passionate about something,
it engages you fully - keeping you focused,
boosting your confidence and reassuring you
of your own ability.
It doesn’t even matter what your hobby is.
Be it painting, writing, or even making origami
- as long as it’s a hobby that genuinely
engages you, and one that you truly enjoy.
Number 12 - Get Away
It’s OK to take a break - and you don’t
have to wait until things get too stressful
at home or in the workplace.
In fact, it’s a much better idea to regularly
schedule some kind of ‘get away’.
This way you’ll have something to look forward
to on tough days.
This doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
You can simply go to a neighbouring town,
visit some of your family members, or have
a campout with friends.
What you’re trying to do is change things
up.
Break from the usual routine, and you may
just be surprised at what you find.
Number 13 - Ask For Help
If you just keep adding more and more to your
plate, you will only end up making yourself
feel overwhelmed.
It’s OK to ask for help from those around
you - it’s not a sign of weakness.
Maybe you’re not feeling up to hanging out
with your friends over the weekend, or maybe
you need an extension from your boss.
If you speak up and explain your position
clearly, you may be surprised at how understanding
others are.
Looking after yourself is not selfish, it’s
necessary.
Only by bringing balance and understanding
to all aspects of your life can you change
for the better.
Self-care isn’t a side project or something
you can just ‘catch-up’ on later.
It’s a deeply important choice that is known
to affect every aspect of life - from personal
to professional, from the mental to the physical.
In solitude, you can reflect on the issues
you may be facing, and figure out ways to
navigate them.
With others, you can feel free to relax and
step away from stress; nourishing your relationships
and boosting your connections.
The more you can work self care into your
schedule, the better you’ll be able to grow
and thrive.
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