I think we can all agree the world looks a little bit different than normal. And in crazy times I know one of the first things that goes out the window is self-care. Because you simply don’t have the time. Or you’re too busy being stressed or worried, perhaps you’re grieving.
These are all understandable reasons why self-care might not be a priority. But I believe it should be. Even when you barely have time to take a shower, when your business or livelihood is at stake or you lost a loved one. Especially then!
Self-care is not a luxury. It’s not something you do when you have ticked off all your other boxes and when your To Do list has dwindled to an agreeable level. It’s not for the faint-of-hearted or the ones who take it easy. Self-care is a serious commitment.
Have you ever seen a professional athlete go ‘easy’ on their self-care? Likely not—or not with success. Their success is based on being focused on what they need to excel.
I’ve worked closely with elite athletes. I know what their schedule looks like and how strict they need to be when it comes to not only food and exercise, but rest as well.
If you want to be successful at your job or business, heck if you want to be successful at life—you need to take your self-care extremely serious.
I believe knowing what you and your body need, and being able to give it to yourself, is the foundation for everything.
That’s why I’m giving you my best tips, things you can start doing (or amping up) right away.
I’m assuming you know the importance of eating healthy, exercise, enough sleep and going outside. But these next tips might not be so apparent. Or they may be a good reminder of what works 😉
TIP #1: Make sure you take enough breaks
Yeah, yeah, you’re busy. I know. But research has shown that your productivity goes up↑ when you take a short 20-minute break. It sounds counterintuitive but it’s time you’ll win back! It increases your concentration and your energy level.
Taking a 45-minute lunchbreak instead of eating behind your computer has even bigger effects. You’ll not only become more productive and efficient but your creativity (that’s your ability to solve problems!) increases as well.
In truth, you can’t afford not to take breaks!
TIP #2: Get grounded
Especially when you work behind a computer you need to make sure you’re grounded. All the energy gets drawn up to your head and you’ll miss simple signals from your body. Not only that, but when you’re grounded it’s easier to focus and concentrate. All helpful when you’re busy 😉
If you have trouble sleeping because your mind is still going a mile a minute then definitely make time to ground before you go to bed. It’ll help you fall asleep more easily and will deepen your sleep as well because you’re quieting your brain from being overactive.
I told a new client a few weeks ago, “If I can teach the world one thing, it would be how to ground.” Within one week he reported huge results, and he’s not the only one. It’s truly a game changer.
Not sure how to ground? I got you covered. Simply listen to this 6-minute audio-recording and I’ll talk you through it. I recommend you do this at the beginning and end of each day.
TIP #3: Focus on gratitude
There’s so much turmoil in the world that it’s easy to be absorbed in all that’s going wrong and in the ‘what if’s’. Make sure you take time to focus on what is going well for you. There’s always something you can be grateful for—no matter what’s going on in your life.
In times of crisis you simply have to dig a little deeper to find things you can appreciate. Having a roof over your head and enough to eat are things to be thankful for. Perhaps the sun was shining or you spoke to a friend. I recommend you write down at least three things per day that you are grateful for.
And then take a moment and allow yourself to FEEL that gratitude. Don’t make it something you check off of your To Do list. The power lies in feeling grateful.
You can only feel one emotion at a time so when you feel grateful you can’t be worried or angry or sad. Give it a try! It really works wonders, and this too has been proven by research.
You’ll feel calmer and less stressed. You will become more aware of the positive things in your life and feel much better as a result. It can even improve the quality of your sleep.
BONUS TIP: Make sure to take at least one day per week entirely off
No email, no thinking about your work or your business. Your brain needs 24 hours to get to a deeper state of relaxation to recharge and be fresh. I know it’s tempting to check your email and with these smartphones it’s far too easy to hit that email icon.
Resist the temptation and give yourself one day off. Even if you only check your mail for five minutes that means the 24 hour timer starts again… So put your phone away or upside down and enjoy your weekend 🙂
PS If you want to take your self-care up to the next level, then my book Radiant: How to Have All the Energy You Need to Live a Life You Love is perfect for you!
