Putting yourself first doesn’t mean that everyone else has to lose
out on what you have to give, especially during these uncertain times. In fact, you’ll have so much more to give
if you give to yourself first!
Today, I am sharing a simple process to help you make self-care your top priority.
Making Self Care A Priority
1. Invest in your best self.
The first step is to acknowledge that self-care is powerful and needs
to be an important part of your life. It’s far from selfish – it’s an
investment that you can make now to become your best self later.
Some of us neglect taking care of ourselves because we want to be the
best mom or the most dedicated employee. We feel like we just cannot
stop to take a time out, as if we’ll get behind or everything will fall
apart without us.
But we need to reverse this way of thinking. As for the examples
above, taking care of yourself is essential to being a good parent, and
balancing your life will enable you to perform at a higher level at
work.
Self-care is not a splurge that happens every once in a while when
you’re completely drained or just on your birthday. Instead, self-care
is a daily practice!
2. Write down your favorite self-care rituals.
Self-care looks different for everybody – what would help you be the
best, most refreshed, most energized, healthiest, and happiest version
of you?
Try to determine what you need in order to help yourself first. What
activities, habits, and people will help you get there? Write these down
in your planner or journal to refer back to as your plan out your weeks and days.
3. Ask yourself: What gets in the way?
Try to understand what’s standing in your way. In other words, what is taking priority over you right now?
Take an inventory of where your time, energy, attention, and focus
goes first most days. Are there areas of your life where you’re wasting
valuable time that could be spent re-energizing you?
Get creative and think of the different ways you can re-focus yourself on yourself.
Can you get up a little bit earlier in the day for some quality time
with yourself? Can you schedule a manicure while the kids are at soccer
practice? Can you block off time every Sunday?
4. Schedule an appointment with you.
Part of living a well-designed life is to align your plans with our
priorities. Now that self-care is something you’ve chosen to prioritize,
you’ll want to ensure that you’re planning it into your life.
As you map out your months, weeks, and days – set aside time in your planner
for self-care. Be specific and write it down to block the time. More
importantly, put in your self-care first. Schedule your other
obligations around it.
Whether you’re allotting time to exercise every other morning, to read
your book for fifteen minutes at lunchtime, or to simply relax after
dinnertime each weekday evening, be sure to mark your planner so that
you don’t schedule anything else during that time.
5. Disconnect and enjoy!
Now it’s time to make it all happen. When the time comes: Turn off
your phone, be present, and enjoy the moments that you have set aside
for yourself!
How do you make self care a priority?
