Work deadlines, school WhatsApp groups, appointments, deciding what to cook, overflowing piles of dirty washing. We get it. Looking after yourself doesn’t even make it to the list half the time and we, as women, are notoriously renowned for putting the needs of others ahead of our own.
Self care doesn’t need to be time-consuming, expensive or require a baby-sitter and a week of planning (despite what Instagram makes us believe). It’s about creating small meaningful micro-moments that nourish you – mentally, physically and emotionally.
Sometimes rest is the most productive thing you can do
We need to go against the grain of hustle culture – rest is not a waste of time. We cannot pour from an empty cup or we will quite simply burn out. If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, you’ll be familiar with ending your session in savasana, in stillness, lying down on your back and it’s for very good reasons. It shifts the body from a state of activity to deep rest, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps reduce stress. It gives the muscles and joints time to relax to prevent tension build up. Mentally, it encourages a sense of grounding or centering, allowing the mind to calm.
Next time you’re feeling a little heightened, set yourself a timer for 60 seconds, lie down and close your eyes.
Nourish and support yourself
We don’t know about you, but our feeds are filled with ‘eat this, drink this, take these vitamins’ type content and sometimes it feels overwhelming to even know where to start. As a baseline, food should be about nourishment, energy and eating to feel good.
- Try adding rather than restricting. You could add an extra veggie in there or supplement your meal with an extra serving of protein.
- Your body is smart – listen to your gut, literally. Tune into hunger and fullness cues and choose foods that make you feel energised rather than sluggish.
- Instead of thinking about food in terms of good or bad, remember that every meal is an opportunity to nourish, replenish, and support your body.
Move your body without an end goal
Exercise doesn’t have to be all or nothing to have huge benefits for your mental and physical health. Forget the 5k runs and the 60 minute workouts and add little and often movements into your day that make you feel good, inside and out. Give one of these a go:
- Stretch your neck and do some shoulder rolls.
- Take a walk.
- Do 10 air squats.
- Dance to your favourite tune.
- Take a desk break and shake it out.
“Have you fallen into the mental trap of not doing enough and not being good enough? We’ve all been there, and this repetitive internal dialogue can take its toll on our mental health.”
Mindset shift
Catching yourself in those moments and shifting the focus to a positive thought can make a huge difference to how you mentally carve out self care. Try these prompts by either thinking about them, or writing them down in a journal:
- What is one thing I’m grateful for today?
- What is one thing my mind, body, or heart needs today? How can I give myself that?
- How can I show myself some more compassion today?
Tired? We’ve got a practice for that
If you didn’t get enough sleep last night, we’ve got you. There is a meditation practice called Yoga Nidra (aka Yogic Sleep) and it’s said that 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra can have the same effect as 3-4 hours regular sleep. Nice! But how? Yoga Nidra guides the brain through different states – starting with beta waves (active thinking), moving into alpha waves (relaxed awareness), and eventually reaching theta and delta waves, which are associated with deep and restorative sleep. So, the next time you need a mid-afternoon pick me up, reach for a recording.
Check out The Yoga Nidra Project on Spotify Podcasts.
Find your joy
Do what makes you happy. Sounds simple doesn’t it, so why don’t we do it more! Spending time in your day tapping into your unique joy nurtures both your emotional and physical wellbeing in ways that go beyond routine wellness habits. Whether your joy is painting, a melting hug with your partner, baking or gardening, it doesn’t matter what it is, but carving out the time to do it is the main thing.
Most of all, enjoy spending time filling up your own cup.
