Life can get busy real fast. But you must remember to take time to take care of yourself. It is easy to get caught up in taking care of others. And we must ask ourselves, why do we prefer to take care of others before ourselves? Is it guilt? Is it because we feel obligated to put others before ourselves? Is it because it is easier to take care of another person, so we procrastinate on ourselves?
Sometimes we neglect taking time for ourselves because we really do have a lot of activity going on. It is easy to say selfcare can wait. But selfcare is the fuel we need to keep going. Not taking time to care for yourself is the road to burnout and resentment. And ask yourself, is it fair to blame others when you were the one that chose to “sacrifice” yourself for others?
So enough talking about why we don’t take time for self-care and how that is wrong. Let’s come up with solutions. Not having enough time and having family and work obligations is a real thing. So, what can we do to get self-care when time is limited? Here is a list of ways to engage in self-care without taking a lot of time.
- Prayer in the morning.
- 10-minute walk at lunchtime.
- Going to your favorite place for lunch or dinner. Hey, you have to eat anyways.
- Purchasing an item that will make a chore easier or more efficient. For example, buying Roomba to help with cleaning. Or something as simple as a vegetable slicer or dicer.
- Foot scrub or body scrub to use in the bathtub or shower. Pair this with your favorite body wash and a sponge for a more luxurious experience.
- Meal delivery for at least one day a week.
- A brief call with a positive friend or family member. Please take note of the word “positive.”
- Create a playlist of your favorite songs to blast while you are driving, running errands, doing chores, etc.
- Take a long lunch and get a pedicure.
- Start reading a book 30 minutes before you go to bed.
These are all fairly quick and most are low-cost ways to engage in self-care. But I also I have one final solution. Last but not least, you can always just take a day to yourself and have a vacation or staycation. Make plans and do whatever it takes. Hire childcare or respite care. Book a hotel or just stay at home. But get the rest that you need so you can be there for others.
Fashionably Yours,
The Gospelnista
