Hello and happy Tuesday!
As I was about to crawl into bed, I realized that I never finished my Monday motivation email. Part of me wanted to go to my laptop, dive into my drafts and just get it done. But, I have learned that one of my “self-care” needs is a good amount of sleep. So I pulled the covers up and put that little “1” next to the Drafts category out of mind for the moment.
What is it about self-care that is so buzz-worthy these days? I think it’s great that people are more aware of taking time for themselves, but I feel like self-care, especially for women, is always equated to a bubble bath with candles. Sure, for some, this might be great, but I feel like in many cases this would just be a bandaid on a bullet wound. If my husband told me to take 15 minutes for a bath, I’d probably look like the photo below, thinking of everything that needs to be done, while I hear the boys destroying the basement or fighting. Not exactly relaxing.
Self-care can look so very different for each person. For me, it’s making sure that everything is in order the night before so that my mornings are less stressful. It’s listening to my audiobook on my commute home and giving my brain a break before I come home to my family. It’s separating myself from noise and people when I feel like I’ve been overstimulated. It’s going to the movies or the coffee shop alone or with one trusted friend. (Can you tell I’m an INFJ personality?)
Self-care is a way to look out for yourself so you feel better and have a chance to recharge.You’re taking time to set yourself up for success and to feel good, and that’s what it’s all about. There’s no one right way to practice self-care, but there definitely are wrong ways. If you are doing things you think people are “supposed” to do as part of a self-care routine (AKA bubble bath), but it actually feels unproductive or even stressful to you, cut it out! Do what feels good, restorative, and manageable for you.
And if you haven’t figured out what your best self-care really is, that’s ok. Sometimes it just feels like another task on an always growing to-do list. It can be trial and error. I personally recommend you just start with sleep. 🙂
Kate Genord 