Self-care. It’s been on the rise in recent years, and for good reason. It’s the act of prioritising yourself and doing things that not only feel good but also have a positive impact on your body, mind, and soul. For this reason alone, it can be hard to define what self-care looks like from one person to the next — but it’s all about doing what works best for you.
In this blog, we’re going to share some easy ways to help you get your self-care on:
1. Prioritise sleep
If you’re known to get at least 8 hours of shut eye at night, this might sound like a no-brainer, but approximately 1 in 10 Australians get less than 5 hours per night, which is the opposite of self-care. Allowing your body time to rest is an easy way to look after yourself with little to no effort. Plus, you can never go wrong with a little extra snoozing. We recommend either going to bed earlier or setting your alarm for later and reaping the benefits.
2. Build your (exercise) routine
Exercising is a foolproof way to look after yourself because it triggers your endorphins, which are known to improve your reaction to stress and your outlook on life. This doesn’t necessarily mean bulking muscle or benching 100kgs (unless that sounds like you), but it means (literally) taking the steps towards moving your body and embracing the benefits. No matter how much exercise you do now, whether it be a walk around your local park or 3 x Coaching Zone sessions per week, we recommend stepping it up a notch and putting together a routine that helps you feel good on the inside and out.
3. Catch up with friends
If changing your perspective on life is on the agenda, we highly recommend involving your friends in the process and keeping it fun. Trying to get more sleep? Make it a challenge. Want to increase your steps? Create a competition. Doing this will not only keep you on track, but it will also keep it exciting. Plus, socialising is a great way to take care of your mental health because there’s nothing better than a debrief session with a close pal.
4. Enjoy some dedicated me-time
Depending on your interests, me-time might be crushing your personal best in a Coaching Zone session or sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn. So, we’re here to remind you that you are entitled to do whatever makes *you* feel good. Everybody deserves some time to relax, no matter what that looks like.
Challenge:
Think about the last time you did something you truly enjoyed — just for the sake of doing it. If it’s been over a week, we recommend making time for some good old-fashioned self-care.
Now, if you’re thinking weekly sounds a little self-indulgent:
A) You can never have too much self-care
B) All the more reason to treat yourself
C) It doesn’t have to be anything big
It could be something small like walking down to your favourite coffee shop or visiting a Coaching Zone session with a friend. If it means something to you, it’s enough.
5. Swap your latte for a cold one
Now that the weather is warming up, there's no doubt you'll be upping your water intake. But we just wanted to remind you that the average person needs at least 2 litres of H₂O every day. Water has been found to boost energy, flush out toxins, and improve your mood and cognitive abilities, so you're on the ball across all fa(u)cets of life.
With all that in mind, we hope you spend some time doing what YOU love because you deserve it!