This editorial is sponsored by GoldPeak Tea.
As the saying goes: you can’t pour from an empty cup. But when the demands for your time, energy, expertise and love are coming at you daily, planning to replenish yourself once or twice a month simply won’t cut it. As hectic as your schedule may be, the only thing that’s going to keep you going is implementing daily and weekly routines and habits that bring you peace and joy.
We know, friend. Thinking about pausing your busy life can sound daunting. But we can assure you that scheduling these mini “golden hour” moments into your life will make everything else fall into place.
Here are five easy ways to build self-care into your routine:
1.
Jump Start Your Day With Intention
Have you ever considered crafting each morning to start out with the exact energy you want to carry into your day? While it may be tempting to stay in bed until the last possible moment and give that snooze button a healthy workout, kicking your day off with intention can be a real game changer.
Start with the sound or music that wakes you up: a jarring alarm clock sound may not be the best thing to bring you out of your slumber. Consider finding an app that wakes you with peaceful, ambient sounds; or using one of your favorite empowering tracks as your wake up music. From there, use affirmations, meditation, and/or reading to set the tone for the day you would like to have. Doing this consistently will better arm you to face any workplace shenanigans or friend group drama that might come your way on any given day.
2.
How Does Meditation For Lunch Sound?
How often have you found yourself longing for the innocence and joy of recess in the middle of a hectic day? Having a packed schedule will often leave us chained to our desks, waiting for lunch to be delivered without ever taking so much as five to ten minutes to step away from that packed to-do list.
But incorporating the concept of recess into your workday may be just the stress reliever you need. Even if that deadline won’t allow you to even think about being away from your work for more than 15 minutes, use that time to completely disconnect from anything work-related. Stretch, take a brief walk, find a mini guided meditation session, or go have a jam session in your car.
Pausing your day to reset is a major key.
3.
Meal Prepping As A Form Of Relaxation
Whether you’re meal prepping for dietary reasons or for time management purposes, the process of batch cooking your meals can also be surprisingly relaxing. To ensure that session in the kitchen, leave your phone in another room or put it in DND mode, pick a dope playlist or podcast, pour yourself a refreshing glass of iced tea, and allow yourself to be fully present during this otherwise mundane part of your week.
If executed correctly, this approach to meal prepping will have you feeling renewed and ready to tackle the rest of your day no matter how much time you spent in the kitchen.
4.
Turn Your Phone Off More Often
The world is definitely in its always-on, always-connected era. But the truth is that humanity survived a smooth 2000 years without us having instant, constant access to each other; and your friends and family will survive if they can’t reach you for a couple of hours.
Barring any work or family obligations, start making it a habit to put your phone on DND or silent during certain moments of your life. Whether you’re getting a mani/pedi and taking full advantage of the massage chair; having dinner with your besties; or simply sitting on the couch and binging your latest favorite show; make yourself unavailable by phone during that time. And try to resist the urge to check your timeline while you’re at it. There are apps to help you with this.
Bonus points if you can manage to return your missed calls and text messages without apologizing for your brief, albeit necessary, absence.
5.
Get Into Your Nighttime Wind Down
Believe it or not, having a structured plan for how you shut down your day can be one of the most revolutionary acts of self-care you can indulge in. It’s believed by some experts that following a nightly regimen before going to bed sends a signal to your mind and body that the day is over; which will help you get a better night’s sleep, thus increasing your focus.
In addition to that amazing bonus effect, your nightly routine should include actions and activities that are good for you anyway: start with an aromatherapy shower or bath and a good skin care routine; make a to-do list for the next day to get those thoughts out of the way; journal or read; then shut it on down.
Not only will you wake up feeling more rested, but you’ll find that spending this special time with yourself will make incorporating smaller instances of self-care throughout your day or week even easier.
What are some of your favorite mini self-care moments that didn’t make our list?