How to Find Time for Self-Care in a Busy Schedule
How many times have you thought there just aren’t enough hours in the day for self-care? You would be incorrect — in fact, taking care of yourself should be a priority. Doing so ensures you feel up to speed in other parts of your life. As long as you’re committed, you can feel prepared for just about anything.
1. Use Alarms to Your Advantage
You may live your life by a schedule or to-do list to stay on top of work and errands. Lists are effective ways to accomplish what you must, but you should also pencil in time for yourself. Setting an alarm on your phone is a great way to ensure you stop working on responsibilities and focus on self-care. It’s a reminder that you can’t dismiss as quickly as a push notification.
When you wake up, it’s best to use a gentle tone than a harsher, louder one for your alarm. Caring for yourself requires a soothing alarm so you can look forward to your self-care activities.
2. Designate a Night for Responsibilities
You shouldn’t have to continue to work every night after you get home from your job. Consider designating one night of the week to be when you handle responsibilities. You should take care of any issue that popped up over the week during that time. Choosing a particular day for all these responsibilities allows you to enjoy the rest of your week without worry — and do things for yourself that you want to do.
3. Try a New Hobby
Creativity breeds stress relief. If you feel the need to be productive even in your downtime, picking up a creative hobby can give you a finished product that you’re proud of. Crocheting is a beginner-friendly hobby with numerous patterns floating around on the internet. You can even make wearable clothes for yourself while taking care of your mental and emotional health.
4. Set Boundaries
Now is the time to tell any overbearing loved ones that you need time and space. You should consider your feelings, not just those of others around you. Setting boundaries with people who drain you can help you feel more like yourself.
Make it a point to note that you won’t hang out with anyone until you’ve taken care of yourself first. Ask yourself if spending time with a particular person or people brings joy to your life. If not, you may have to tell them you want to cut back on seeing them. Setting boundaries is complex, especially if you hope to stay on everyone’s good side, but preserving your well-being is necessary.
5. Share Self-Care With Other Moments
If you absolutely can’t make time in a day to take care of yourself, consider coupling your “me time” with other responsibilities. Why not indulge in a favorite healthy food if you planned on cooking dinner anyway? Nourishing your body can help you feel better physically, which might, in turn, make you feel better mentally.
Consider showering at night instead of first thing in the morning. This can help you relax and decrease the presence of the stress hormone cortisol, making it an excellent, low-effort way to reduce your stress and maximize your self-care return on investment.
Self-Care Is Mandatory
Taking care of yourself isn’t always easy. If you have several other responsibilities, like a demanding job or children, you may find that you put yourself on the back burner often. Consider getting wellness services at home, like vitamin IV in Seattle. You can choose from a number of formulas designed to help you feel rejuvenated and refreshed. Indulging in self-care can lessen the chances of a complete meltdown or working yourself to the point of burnout. Slowing down to check in with yourself helps you enjoy the best parts of your life.