6 Ways to Practise and Promote Self-Care.

The world is demanding, it expects us to be alert and ready to operate at any given moment. With emails being delivered to your watch now, and the threat of robots taking our jobs, what are the top six ways we can all take care of ourselves to be able to function efficiently in the 21st century?

1. Get Enough Sleep 

Making sure that you sleep enough is crucial. It’s the first part of self-care and the most important. This is when your body repairs, when the mind finds order and when your immune system is boosted. Rest each night for at least seven hours to maximise the mind’s capacity to handle any situation that the world may throw at you. But neglect your time to sleep and you’ll find that everything seems a little bit harder. In short, sleep is your life source, it keeps you healthy while you’re alive.

2. Exercise Your Body and Mind

Like a car, if you stop using the parts of the engine they will seize up, rust and fall off, or need replacing. It’s important for your body that you get your heart rate up three times per week. Even if it is just a ten minute jog, star jumps in the living room, or walking where you’d normally catch the bus. This release will not only energise the mind, but will make your mind sing with thoughts, ideas and creativity. The old saying “Healthy body, healthy mind” still rings true. Go on, set an alarm now to do 50 star jumps in the lounge, no-one’s looking and you’ll feel great, I promise.

3. Change Your Eating Habits

We all know that when you’re tired, you just want to eat quickly and relax, but this starts a cycle of negativity and can lead to serious spirals in the way the mind functions. Make time to think about the consequences of the food you’re consuming. If you eat fast food and quick fixes to save time today, it will only lead to a delay and a lag tomorrow. Start fresh with a new, healthier diet. Eat vegetables and fruit each day, washed down with a couple of litres of water, and I promise you, you’ll jump out of bed feeling energised, so make this change a healthy routine you’ll stick to.

4. What Does Rest Look Like? 

Resting is not sitting on the sofa with Netflix on the television and Instagram on your phone. Resting is an opportunity to clear your mind and escape the pushes and pulls of the online world. Lose yourself in creativity, read a book, paint a picture, write an article or meditate. You’ll know you’ve truly been resting when your mind feels clear and you haven’t been thinking about things that don’t really involve you. I mean, why are we even concerned with what Donald Trump said last week or what’s trending on Twitter? Let’s escape the technological rat race together and find sanctuary in the art of being lost.

5. Stretch That Body

When was the last time you stretched? I mean really stretched, every ligament, muscle and limb. If you’ve started exercising as part of the new you, follow up with a good old stretch. From your fingers to your toes, get the body flexible again by stretching it. You’ll sleep better, you’ll feel more agile and suddenly you’ll understand where the aches and pains were coming from. A professional massage is also a great idea once in a while, and that includes a shoulder rub from your partner.

6. Walking Without Your Phone 

It’s undoubtably the oldest form of exercise on Earth. Your ancestors have been doing it for 180,000 years. It’s in your DNA and it’s actually quite fun. Set a route to walk before dinner – leave your phone at home. No purpose at all required; you’re not walking to the shops or to pick up the kids, you’re just walking. As you walk, listen to the birds sing, observe the shapes of the clouds and feel the Earth beneath your feet. Wonder, imagine and plan. Appreciate how beautiful life is and how fortunate you are to be gifted with such joys. Before you know it, you’ve been walking for 30 minutes and you’re ready to take on the world and make the positive impact you’ve always dreamed of. Better still, take a friend and make the conversation a positive one.

Try these six things this week and see how much you change in a short space of time. Taking care of your mind is so closely linked with how you care about your body. Neglecting your body will only make the functions of your mind seem all that more difficult.

I hope these help you in some way.