Enhance your self-care practices to recharge.
I was the guest at a business networking meeting a few years ago. Everyone introduced themself and shared how they decompress and recharge after work. Almost everyone started with, well I know that I should be exercising but the reality is that I sit on the couch and watch tv.
It felt like sitting in on a confessional. After that experience I concluded the better question to ask is… how do you care for yourself?
How do you care for yourself?
Caring for yourself is simply the practices you follow to look after your own health using the knowledge and information available to you. Caring for yourself is commonly referred to as self-care.
Assess your self-care practices
I’ve started doing a simple self-care assessment on or around my birthday because there is always opportunity to enhance my practices. It’s why physicians ask you about your lifestyle during your annual check up.
If you’re interested in trying it, read the full post or start by asking yourself a few questions:
Self-care assessment:
1/ Do you feel happy?
2/ Do you overindulge in stimulants?
3/ Do you workout?
4/ Do you eat mostly whole foods?
5/ Can you sleep through the entire night?
6/ Do you have a good friend to play with?
7/ Do you feel good about yourself?
Self-care improvements
Self-care enhancements happen in incremental steps by identifying the habits that are no longer serving you and adopting new habits that make you healthier and feel happier.
For instance, sleep is something that we all struggle with from time to time when the stress of our day creeps into our sleep time. If you’re struggling with sleep, try the Alexa, Sleep Sounds of Thunderstorm service.
It’s transformed the quality of my sleep and helped me wake feeling calm and refreshed even during stressful times. The app plays thunderstorm sounds mixed with instrumental music for an hour as you fall sleep and optionally for an hour as you wake up. It may take a night or two to get the settings perfect for you.
Start with the 7-day free trail and then subscribe if it helps you sleep. The cost is only $1/month plus the cost of the device [Echo Dot Smart Speaker with Alexa] if you don’t already have one.
If you haven’t already optimized your sleep routine or refreshed your bedding for the season, those are good things to tweak next. All of these simple changes will improve the quality of your sleep so that you wake up ready to give your best at work and to everyone in your life.
Self-care Workshop
If your self-care practices need enhancing, join me on Saturday, May 18th at the Coal Harbour Community Center in Vancouver for the Mind & Body Self-care Workshop. It’s the self-care day that you’ve been putting off. Learn more and sign up soon to reserve your spot at the introductory rate.
