Enough with the COVID! Feel happier and healthier when you practice self-care at work and at home.
Put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. We’ve all heard it before, but when it comes to our everyday lives, we don’t tend to apply that simple message. Remember: You can’t take care of others, if you don’t first take care of yourself.
Everything is so crazy right now, like a page out of science fiction novel. But now more than ever before, self-care is so important. Our schedules have been turned upside down, and it becomes easier to become complacent about taking good care of ourselves both mentally and physically.
Self-care can often be difficult for people. Practicing self-care can feel selfish or counter-intuitive. But, thankfully, there are small steps you can take to put yourself first. And in doing so, you give your best to your job, family and the rest of your life.
Download your 42 page well-being guide below. Enjoy!
Consider the 4 following suggestions for practicing self-care:
1.) Set boundaries. Start your new self-care routine by setting boundaries. It’s important to do so not just for others—e.g., saying “no” sometimes when you need a break—but for yourself, too. Boundaries will be your new rule book for focusing on your own needs first.
2.) Self-discipline. When you set boundaries, you recognize what you need to be well on an emotional and physical level. But can you carry through on what’s best? If self-care means getting eight hours of sleep each night, it’s important to have the self-discipline to turn off the late-night show or put down your phone. The same goes for work. If you feel less stressed when you arrive 15 to 30 minutes before others do, make that happen.
3.) Be consistent. Like putting in practice any habit, self-care takes repetition and consistency. It will be important to fight through any feelings of guilt or selfishness you might experience. While the jury is still out on the exact time it takes to form a new habit, one study suggests it takes 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic. Keep at it!
4.) Get organized. An article from Psychology Today suggests getting organized as a way to practice self-care. “Getting organized is often the first step to becoming a healthier you, because it allows you to figure out exactly what you need to do to take better care of yourself,” writes Tchiki Davis, PhD. “A small change like keeping a planner or a calendar on the fridge can help you write down all your responsibilities and appointments, keeping your life a bit more organized.”
And remember caring for yourself
is NOT self-indulgence, it is a form
of self-preservation—think of it as intentionally choosing how to live your life. Be well!
When you partner with Ulliance, our Life Advisor Consultants are always just a phone call away to teach ways to enhance your work-life balance and increase your happiness.
The Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program can help employees and employers come closer to a state of total well-being.
To learn how we can help, give us a call at 866-648-8326.