Are you always helping others and giving of yourself? Whether it is at work, at home, or out with friends, simply keeping up with all the people we love can be a challenge. Don’t allow yourself to become so focused on everyone else that you sacrifice time to care for yourself. Creating a self care plan can boost your mental and emotional health. Learn how to create some time for yourself each day, and make self care a priority.
Why Self Care?
Self care may seem like a luxury at times, but it is actually a necessity in order to function at your best. When you continually push yourself to the limit you risk burnout. As your stress levels rise, it becomes more difficult to focus on the task at hand. You are more likely to feel distracted, or like you are in a fog.
Anxiety Centre, a website dedicated to providing support to anxiety sufferers, lists high stress levels as a contributing factor in lack of focus. An article on their website states, “High levels of stress hormones (caused from worry, stress, fear, anger, frustration, and anxiety), because they are stimulants, cause an increase in the electrical activity in the brain. Increased electrical activity in the brain causes the brain to generate an increase in thought generation and at a faster rate. This change can cause our attention to be more easily sidetracked, which can cause split attention and focus, making it seem like our thoughts are foggy.”
Self care can help offset the effects of stress. When you take time for yourself, your cortisol levels drop and you feel more relaxed. This can lead to improved focus, as well as overall satisfaction with life.
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What Is Self Care?
Self care can take many different forms. Anything that you enjoy and helps relieve stress can be considered self care. Exercise and diet should be at the center of your self care plan. Your physical health can impact your emotional health, so focusing on proper nutrition and daily exercise can lower your stress levels. It can also boost your endorphins, which are known as feel good hormones.
You can also focus on your emotional and spiritual health by including meditation or prayer in your daily routine. Meditation can have a calming effect on your body, helping to relieve stress. It can also help you focus on the things you are grateful for, making it more likely that you will be content with your life.
Spending time participating in favorite hobbies or relaxing activities can also play a role in self care. Whether you are pursuing a favorite pastime, meeting up with friends, or scheduling a spa day, taking the time to do things you enjoy can help you relax, and boost your mood.
Create Time for Yourself
A self care plan can help you live a fuller, happier life. When taking time for yourself may seem like a luxury, it is actually a necessity if you want to function at your best. Take the time to add self care practices into your daily routine, and boost your emotional health.
