At times when life seems to be getting us down or we're going through a period of stress, loss or uncertainty, it's important to take special care of ourselves! Make sure you look after yourself so that you're ready to tackle life full on.
If you've recently experienced loss or are going through a time of high-stress or uncertainty, it's important that you make a special effort to look after yourself. Here are a few things you can do to care for yourself physically and emotionally:
- Take time out. If you can get away from your usual environment then do so. Go away for the weekend or even a day - do something different or something you enjoy and do it just for you.
- Spend time with people you care about. Your friends and family know you best and will be supportive and there for you. It's wonderful how you find true friends when the chips are down.
- Treat yourself. Get pampered or whatever allows you to indulge yourself. Book a relaxing massage, get retail therapy, savour a glass of your favourite wine or spend a whole day reading a book.
- Look after your body. At times of stress our eating habits change. We're more likely to reach for packaged or convenience foods. Buy fresh fruit and vegetables and provide your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs to be able to deal with the stress. Your immune system takes a bashing under stress so look after it as your more susceptible to illness.
- Exercise. It's a great way to get those endorphins going which can help lift your mood and as I mentioned in my newsletter - solvitas perambulum - solve it while you walk. The rhythm of exercise and breathing gives your mind time to think. As it's summer go outdoors and take in some sunshine while you're at it.
- Don't overdo the caffeine or alcohol. It might give you a temporary buzz but it will affect your sleep and you need to ensure you're getting plenty of that too.
- Write it down. Sometimes it can help to write down our thoughts and feelings on paper. It gets them out there and out of our head and when put into black and white it can take some of the emotion out or put them into perspective.
- Do something positive. Don't indulge yourself for too long but give yourself something to look forward to. Arrange to go to a concert, film, theatre, a weekend away. Keep yourself moving forward. Set yourself little tasks everyday.
- Volunteer. There's nothing more uplifting that doing something for someone else. Take yourself out of your head for a few hours and feel the benefit of helping others.
- PMA - Positive Mental Attitude. What can you learn from this experience? Instead of focusing on the negative, what's a positive outcome for your situation?
- Relaxation - learn to relax. Whether it's doing something like yoga, meditation or just simple breathing techniques - take a few minutes each day to quiet your mind. (Drop me an email if you'd like some ideas on relaxation techniques.)
- Take Action. Yes, that 'A' word again. What one thing can you do to change where you're at? Go and do it!
What's your coping mechanism? How do you deal with stress? Learn to recognise and deal with stress before it builds up by looking after yourself on a regular basis not just when things get too much.
If you'd like to learn more or need support recognising and dealing with stress then contact me directly.
Copyright 2005: Clare Evans Clare writes on several topics to help busy, stressed individuals and small business owners organise their lives more effectively.
You can read more articles on her site Time Management and Work Life Balance Articles at http://www.clareevans.co.uk.
Extreme Self-care - Make Time For Yourself. - To learn more about this author, visit Clare Evans's Website.
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