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You’ve probably heard about self-care before, the idea of looking after yourself isn’t exactly a new one. Making it a priority to take care of your own needs, physical, emotional and spiritual has become more a popular concept in recent years, but although we all like the idea of taking time out for ourselves, the truth is that many of us don’t actually do it.
So, why is self-care so important for our well-being? Put simply, you can’t give anything from an empty cup. A lot of people, women especially, are very good at looking after everyone else. We put our families first, give our all to our job or our business, and make time for our friends – but where do we make time for our own needs?
If you have 101 demands being made on your time, it’s all too easy just to let your own needs slide in an attempt to try and keep everyone else happy, but the more you do that, the less you’ll actually want to help people. You’ll get crabby when your children want you to look at something they’re doing. You’ll snap at your husband or partner. You’ll resent your boss for asking you to help on yet another project and when your friends ask for help with something you’ll roll your eyes and sigh loudly, feeling put upon.
When you feel as if you have nothing left to give, you’ll be stressed out and exhausted. Don’t let things get to that stage; look after yourself and arrange some me-time so that you feel relaxed and happy, and other people’s demands don’t wear you out so much. You can also say no to things if you really don’t want to do them, or just don’t have time. You are not on this earth to be at the beck and call of your nearest and dearest, you’re entitled to a life of your own and to do things you love to do, and that make you feel good.
Why you shouldn’t neglect yourself…
Yes, we know that it’s just easier sometimes to give in, let your own needs slide and forget the little things that we enjoy when life gets busy. When we’re overwhelmed, taking time out to do something fun seems frivolous and like a luxury. Stop and think about it the next time you’re tempted to work through lunch instead of making your gym or hair appointment though; self-care actually makes you more productive and less stressed.
Self-care is a great stress reducer. We all need a little bit of stress to get things done sometimes, but too much will create havoc on your mind and your body. Doing nice things that you enjoy, and looking out for your own wellbeing stops the effects of stress from taking over, making you more productive and much nicer to be around.
Self-care can help you to get your focus back. Whether it’s the luxury of a full spa day or just an hour’s walking or session at the gym, getting away from something that has you really stuck can help you to work out what it is that needs to be done. Take a break from that tricky issue and the answer may just come to you when you stop looking for it so frantically!
Have we convinced you to take care of yourself now?