Self care is one of those words that gets batted around
like, wellness and wellbeing. But do you practice it?
We live in an age of information and are bombarded daily
with current events and world problems. We live in an age where, if you have
children, you’re dropping them off at school and clubs throughout the week then
off to work in a rush. Or perhaps you are someone’s carer you are unlikely, to
even stop for a minute to relax.
You may be asking yourself, what is self-care? Self-care is
the act of taking care of yourself. It is not selfish or greedy, it is merely
putting yourself first for a moment and recharge your batteries.
I was a single parent during my last year of military service
and my first year out. It was one of the most difficult times of my life. I was
solely responsible for getting my son to before-school club, getting to work,
picking him up on time (which was no easy feat), feeding him and making sure he
got to bed on time with a book – all the while attending college online and in
class. I had very little time for myself, and after a while it becomes relentless.
But, even in those times, I took time out. Even if it was
the time after I put him to bed and studied to when I went to sleep, often only
a half hour or so. Sometimes, I would book annual leave just to have a day to
myself while he was at school, just to get food shopping done in peace.
How can we practice self-care? First, you need to make a conscious
decision to take time out for yourself. Put it in your diary, make sure you do
it daily. It’s not like having a cold and you only need to take medicine while
you’re ill, you need to perform acts of self-care daily to make it a habit.
Second, you don’t need to spend money on self-care. There
are many things you can do for free.
Third, self-care is about the mind, body and spirit. So mental
relaxation, exercise and acts of kindness can go a long way.
Here are some brief ideas on ways to perform acts of self-care:
·
Mini-mediation at lunch time or before bed
·
Mini declutter: pick three things from your
wardrobe to donate to charity
·
Unplug from your phone/laptop for an hour –
great before bed
·
Remove or mute negative people from your social
media feed
·
Dance around your living room
·
Go for a walk outdoors during your lunch hour
·
Make a healthy change in your diet
·
Get 15 minutes of sun – especially in the winter
·
Help someone – open a door, carry some bags,
help an old lady across the street
·
Give yourself an hour date – read a book, visit
a museum or practice your hobby
By doing these things little, but often you will start to
feel more satisfied. It can be difficult working, having children, or being
someone’s carer and you need to think about yourself as well.
If you have any questions about sports injuries and rehabilitation please email me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk
