Put self-care into your schedule

Is self-care on your schedule?

When you plan your day/week/month do you include time for self-care? If not, why not? I know I don’t do it enough, but when I do I am more productive and clear headed.

What exactly is self-care?

Self-care is a term that many people use, but don’t really know what it is. So, let’s start with a quick explanation. Self-care is the intentional actions that you take for your physical, mental, and emotional health. No matter how you define it, basically it is doing something specifically for you and your well-being.

Why is it so hard to do?

For some it’s not hard at all. They make self-care and their well-being a priority, and have boundaries to protect it. For people like me, it’s not as easy, but  not because we don’t care about ourselves. It’s more because we are driven by deadlines and obligations, and our well-being gets addressed after everything else is done.

So what do I do if I’m more like you Diana?

Well, becoming more mindful of your state-of-mind and physical state is a good start. If you find that you’re tired all the time even though you get enough sleep, your mind feels foggy, or you are always stressed, then self-care needs to move up on your priority list. You can also ask a friend or friends to point out (loudly if necessary) when they think you’re due for some self-care or a break. I have my business partner and our VP of Business Operations as my checkpoints. They are very busy because my answer is OK and then I keep doing whatever it is that I was doing. But they have been persistent, and I’m getting better at it.

What are some ideas for self-care?

It depends on what you find relaxing. It may be music, reading, going for a walking, or eating a pie. Being outside and aromatherapy work for me. The outdoors is peaceful to me, regardless of the weather. In other instances, I like candles, diffusers, and bath products, and I just found a great resource for items. I recently found a company called Oasis Soul and bought some additional products. Thankfully my order came today and it is a good reminder for me to make wellness a priority. It’s been a helluva a Monday so its arrival was timely!! I ordered the Lovely Day scented candle (the lavender scent is really relaxing), the sugar cream body scrub, and the Lovely Day and Mint Condition shower #aromatherapy steamers. I’ve used a bath bomb before  but never a shower steamer. Can’t wait to try it!

How do I find this company?

Oasis Soul is a local (Maryland) woman-owned business, and a fellow NAWBO Greater DC Chapter member. Shop small – it’s really worth it! They’re on Etsy too, so check them out. [BTW I am not being compensated for this post]

Would love to hear your ideas!

So, how are you taking time for you? Are you making sure to include it in your planner and schedule? I’d love to hear what you do (and keep it clean folks LOL). Would love to hear from you in the comments either here or on my YouTube page.

Check out the video below. In it I talk more about the need for self care and provide some more tips.

For more planning and productivity posts, check out my IG: PlanWithDiDibble.