In our hectic world, we are often hurried, and stressed. We frequently neglect ourselves, in favor of making sure we hit our deadlines. I'd like to offer some quick ways to indulge in self-care which can ameliorate feelings of burnout.
10 Quick Self-care Hacks
1. Learn to say no. Have healthy boundaries for yourself! Learn not to over-commit, or take on projects you don't care to do.
2. Reprogram your brain. Condition yourself to recognize negative though patterns, discard the negativity, and use positive self talk instead. This can feel very challenging when you're used to the negative self-talk loop. I assure you are capable of creating a new track.
3. Make something! It can be something expressive, something silly, a craft, basically anything which brings you joy, and causes you to be present, mentally and physically in your task. This is excellent for grounding yourself, and also taking up new hobbies leads to developing new skill-sets, which is great for your self esteem and life satisfaction.
4. Get enough rest. This sounds excruciatingly elementary, but honestly when you are not well rested, your body is in a constant state of stress, and working overtime just for basic homeostasis. That's why you feel fatigued all the time! Cortisol is a thief of joy, leaving you exhausted and despondent.
5. Find time for friends. It can be difficult to coordinate schedules when we're all so busy. But making time for fun social interaction does you a wealth of good. Meet for coffee, board games, trivia- whatever floats your boat.
6. Hydrate. Frequently when we think we are hungry, we're actually thirsty. Sodas and sugary drinks can spike your blood sugar and lead to an insulin crash, leaving you groggy, lethargic, and nap-seeking. Water is essential. I also enjoy a long soak in a hot tub or bath, when I am feeling stressed and depleted. Hydrotherapy has been used for centuries for better well-being.
7. Improve your diet. I won't nag on what I think you should be eating, but I'm a firm proponent of the "garbage in, garbage out" paradigm, and is applicable to all aspects of life. Eat better, feel better.
8. Move. Dance, lift, go for a walk or a bike ride, whatever gets your blood pumping, and you disengaged from a screen.
9. Switch up your routines. You can develop new neural pathways and keep your brain active by altering your habits.
10. Rearrange your space. Sometimes just swapping things around can give you a new perspective in life.
