All right my friend, let’s talk about self-care.
I don’t know about you, but I’m having an off-day. Nothing particularly went wrong. I’m just tired and don’t have the usual pep in my step, and I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. Not having the energy to put your all into a pitch deck, or procrastinating important research you need about someone you want to snag as a client, or customer.
There’s always plenty of content out there where folks about self-care, and the importance of practicing it. However, a lot of the content (especially if it’s published by a brand) talks about what you need to buy to practice self-care. Sometimes it’s a coffee, sometimes it’s a bath bomb, sometimes it’s a piece of clothing. Regardless, all of these conversations talking about self-care revolve around what you consume, through purchasing.
What I want to talk to you about, in regards to self-care, is what you can do in the moment to take care of yourself. And, how you can get into a space where what you need just clicks for you, versus searching “self-care” on the internet and reading blog post, after blog post about what you can buy. I was particularly inspired by this Forbes article, which talks about self-care being a discipline, as well as touching on some important notes about accessibility and perception.*
There are several things you can do in a moment to take care of yourself that don’t involve spending money. All they involve is spending some time with yourself, so you can do them whether you’re on your break or able to leave the office for a moment.
- Practice Affirmations
- If you’re not sure where to start, check this article out. Even if you stand in the bathroom for 5 minutes repeating to yourself, “I am strong. I am confident. I can make it through today.” this can be helpful and change your perspective.
- Listen to a quick meditation
- Drink a glass of water
- If you can’t step away for a moment because your job is super demanding, or you’re in customer service, grabbing a drink of water is a great self-care. Hydration is soooo important, and it’ll help keep you clear headed.
- Avoid checking your phone
- Take a moment for yourself! If your phone is blowing up, silence it for 15 minutes and focus on the task at hand.
- Jot down your feelings & thoughts
- When you’re feeling overwhelmed grab a sticky note and jot down your feelings. Putting them down helps you sort out what’s going on in your brain and it’s an easy way to practice some quick, practical self-care. (You can use these sticky notes to track your mood, or notice patterns in what makes you overwhelmed, too!)
*Please note folks, I’m not completely shutting down buying things as a form of self-care. It works some of the time, and honestly, if you’re having the day from hell and need instant gratification, that’s completely up to you. I’m writing this to help give folks the confidence to practice self-care in a way that doesn’t always involve consumerism. Self-care and treating yourself, as it’s marketed, is expensive and isn’t always accessible to everyone. With that said, if you need to go for a walk and buy a coffee, and that’s an available option, go for it. But if you don’t need that, and/or it’s not and you need a little breather to help you manage the day, then hopefully this blog post can help you. ❤
