Women are just as career-driven as men—maybe even more so. The digital era provides great opportunities for strong and goal-oriented ladies. However, being successful in this fast-paced world can also take its toll. There’s just so much to do. And, as women, we tend to put the welfare of others before our own.
But without giving ourselves the love and care we deserve, we’re just setting ourselves up to fail. If we don’t take a break, we’ll soon crash and burn. That’s why self-care is a vital part of being a successful woman.
In this article, we’ve put together a self-care guide to help you boost your physical and mental well-being.
How to Take Care of Yourself
Here are 10 self-care tips you should include in your everyday routine.
1. Exercise Daily
Self-care starts with taking care of your body. After all, you can’t do much without it. Exercising helps keep your body strong and healthy. According to Mayo Clinic, we should do at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. And that’s just the bare minimum. But if you want to lose weight, you can ramp up your workout routine to 300 minutes or more a week. You don’t have to become a gym junkie. You can exercise at home. You just have to keep yourself committed and motivated.
2. Get Enough Sleep
getting enough sleep can negatively impact your physical and mental health. Unfortunately, stress and other distractions can easily affect our quality of sleep. So much so that one in three Americans don’t get enough sleep every day.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society state that adults between 18 to 60 years old should get at least seven hours of sleep every night for optimal well-being and health. Sleeping less than the minimum recommended hours can increase your risk of chronic health conditions, such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and even mental distress.
Wayne Giles, M.D., former director of CDC’s Division of Population Health, recommends that you make lifestyle changes to get enough sleep. This includes consistently going to bed at the same time each night, getting up at the same time every morning, and removing or turning off televisions, mobile devices, and computers inside the bedroom. It would also be best if you stay away from caffeine and sugar at night.
3. Take Care of Your Gut
We all know that gut health directly affects overall health. But did you know that it can also affect your mood? That’s according to experts like Dr Jay Pasricha, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Neurogastroenterology.
New studies are showing that it’s not depression or anxiety that’s causing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other functional bowel disorders. It’s the other way around. The irritation in your gastrointestinal system is most likely causing your mood swings.
And you thought you’d never find relief, huh? Make sure that you eat healthy foods as much as possible.
4. Practice Gratitude
If you have a scarcity mindset, where you think nothing is ever enough, then you’ll never be happy. You’ll feel bad about yourself all day, every day. But if you wake up each morning appreciating everything you have in life, then you’ll see the world in a different light. Don’t forget to live each day with a grateful heart.
5. Take a Break
We know how hardworking you are. After all, you wouldn’t achieve what you have so far if you aren’t. But it’s okay to take a break now and then. Go outside, breathe fresh air, and relax. You can go to the park or go hiking. Take a trip. You’re not just a human doer. You’re also a human being. Don’t be afraid to unplug yourself and recharge so you can just be.
6. Reward Yourself
Another one of the best self-care techniques you can do is reward yourself. When we say reward yourself, we don’t mean you buy yourself some Krispy Kreme—though, that’s also good. A better reward is to get yourself a massage or go on a weekend trip. You can also reward yourself with tangible things that aren’t food, such as that bag or pair of shoes you’ve always wanted.
And while you’re at it, you should also take time to do something nice for others. It doesn’t have to be anything grand. Simple things like paying for someone else’s coffee is enough to uplift a person’s day and yours as well.
7. Learn to Say “No”
Saying no to someone who’s asking for your time and energy can be hard. You may be pressured into saying yes because you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But always saying yes to your coworkers, friends, and family can lead to burnout, especially if you’re already overworked or stressed. It will be hard at first, but when you learn how to turn people down politely, you’ll feel more confident about yourself. Plus, you’ll have more time for yourself.
8. Dedicate Time for Self-Care
Even if you’re the most sociable person, you still need some alone time to be with yourself. This is the perfect time for self-discovery. You can combine your alone time with exercise or when you meditate. There’s always time for self-care, even during your busiest days. Never forget that.
9. Have a Release
We don’t need a study to tell us that sex can help reduce stress. But did you know that it can also help improve your quality of sleep and alleviate pain, such as migraine and menstrual cramps?
It’s not exactly clear how it helps relieve pain, but researchers suspect it might be due to the rush of endorphins (the brain’s natural pain reliever) during arousal and orgasm. And as stated by the Association of Migraine Disorders, endorphins provide faster pain relief than IV morphine. Yes, please!
10. Love Yourself For Who You Are
It sounds easy, but it’s actually quite hard. We’re always hardest on ourselves. We beat ourselves up for our every mistake and failure. Instead of doing that, why don’t we celebrate our wins—no matter how small they are? After all, no accomplishment is too small for us to not love who we are.
