Practicing self care is the most important part of life but it is the one which is most neglected.
Try to squeeze out some time for self care in between your busy schedules. It will pay in long run with good health, healthy brain and a happy soul.
Taking care of health be it physical , mental or emotional is a necessity. There is no other way for a healthy and happy life.While you have tight schedules, time feels like flying. You feel like there is no time for self care. Because our body doesn’t tell us immediately how it feels. It takes time to see the negative effects of neglecting self care.
After a busy day, an evening walk is the last thing in your mind. Self care could be practiced by eliminating those things that are not necessary but eats your time. It could be internet , texting, watching news, thinking about work etc. I know how time goes so fast on internet. You can practice basic self care by paying attention to your schedule and squeezing time in between.
Go early for sleep
Everybody compromises on sleep when there is very tight schedule. Always try to sleep on time so that you can wake up on time. Keeping a sleeping schedule is as important as any other schedule. Early to rise and early to sleep makes a man healthy wealthy and wise. Sleep early, wake up early and you will have some time for your self in the morning.
Make “squeezing time” for your self a priority. And you will not let your self down. You will emerge winner. Morning is the best time with less distractions. When the day starts, you will have so many things lined up for you.
Take at least 10 minutes for exercise
Waking up early makes room for some of the tasks which are not on your list yet. Exercise is one of them. Start exercising for 10 minutes.For some days you will have to remind yourself for this habit. But after some days it will become your habit. Once you get addicted to your exercise routine, you will be able to squeeze more time for exercise.
Don’t grab your mobile on waking up
Keep your morning time for your self. Remove all the technological devices from your morning time. Make just 20 minutes your own. After waking up, instead of checking the mobile, take deep breaths. Start with 5 breaths and pay gratitude for one more beautiful day in your life. Then say some positive affirmations.It could be related to anything you want.
Leave the news headlines
Don’t sit in the front of TV to listen to news headlines in the morning. Keep it for daytime. It will spare some time for you and your mind will not be filled with negative talk. This will free your 5 minutes and you can invest these 5 minutes in meditation. You will love this.
Gradually this will become your habit and a ritual for you.
Do same things daily
On the long run, these will become rituals. And as Robin Sharma say in the book , The monk who sold his Ferrari, ‘Rituals have the power’. If you sleep at same time, wake up at the same time, brush , wash your face, meditate, exercise, these will become rituals.
After some time you will notice that these have become your habit. You cannot proceed further without going through your new found habits. These are the basic self care habits you need to have for the optimum functioning of the body.
Give a oil massage to your hairs
Yes head massage is so important for the circulation of blood. And while doing a massage with oil, you press some of the points. If you will pay attention, there will be slight pain on some points. These points feel relaxed after massage. You can use any oil but coconut oil is most relaxing. It is good for healthy hair also.
Put some oil and start massage with the top of your fingers. do it in little circulations. Try to do it at night. Weekends are fine but if you are feeling a heaviness in your head, do it at night
It is good if you can go to saloon. Otherwise, just do it in comfort of your home. Do it yourself and you can adjust the pressure which you can handle on your head. Or take somebody’s help at home if possible. Otherwise doing it yourself will be fine. You will definitely feel relaxed after that.
Give your body massage
Make a weekend yours and book an appointment for massage. Body massage if done correctly, helps in releiving stress in body points. It makes you feel good and relaxed. You will have a feeling that you did something for your body.
Go out and enjoy nature
Natural surroundings have a beautiful impact on our minds. Have you ever listened to the subtle noises from the leaves of trees with breeze? It feels like a soft music to ears. Sit somewhere with closed eyes and your stressed and tired mind will be thankful to you.
Watch the chirping birds around you. Smile at beautiful flowers in front of you. This will relax your tired mind and body. Nature is known to heal our bodies inside out. It helps in relieving stress. Go out and take a walk along with the trees and plants.
Make a call to loved one
When you are busy you forget to call your loved ones. Call an old friend from your college. You would love this. This is my favorite thing to do. Though my friends live at different places( countries) and different time zones. But we somehow manage sour timings.
You can call your family. It helps in reminding you that how much love is there. How much you are being loced by your family. Being loved make you happy.
Watch the sunrise and sunset
There is nothing more beautiful than a morning with sun rising up. Sunlight helps in not only with production of vitamin D but also with the release of serotonin hormone. This hormone helps in uplifting your mood. Sometimes it is not like you are stressed or you feel unhappy but you don’t take time to be happy. Sunlight will help you in this( Don’t forget to put on sunscreen).
Same is with sunset. Take time to watch sunset. It is the most beautiful sight.
Listen to music
Music have therapeutic values. Listen to your favorite music. Music soothes your brain.It will give you a much needed break. Music helps in boosting your mood and bring happiness. It plays an important part in relieving stress.
Everybody enjoys music. It could be of any type. You can dance on music or simply close your eyes and listen to some classical number. Either way you will benefit from it.
Concluding points
- Practice self care. Sleep early, wake up early.
- Don’t grab your mobile on bed
- Exercise for 10 minutes
- Keep news headlines for day
- Do same things at same time and same sequence
- Give yourself head massage
- Go for body massage
- Talk to your loved ones
- Go out in nature
- Watch sunrise and sunset
- Listen to music
Please share your ideas of self care on tight schedules. We all go through tight schedules in this busy world.
