The Importance of Selfcare and How It Adds Balance to Your Life

Practice mindfulness and meditation 

Engaging in a simple mindfulness meditation — the practice of focusing on the breath, and training our brains to remain entirely present in our thoughts and in the space we’re occupying is a great start to self care. Try signing up for a digital meditation class, downloading a meditation podcast or app, like Calm. Or, try breathing exercises.

Prioritize your nutrition 

Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial to relieving stress. Everything in the body is connected. Healthy eating can help counter the impact of stress by shoring up the immune system and lowering blood pressure. Building a healthy food prep habit into your daily or weekly routine can greatly improve your overall diet, and eventually lead to reduced stress levels.

Get your exercise on

Physical exercise, even a simple walk, has been noted to increase neurotransmitters that are associated with improving mood and cognitive function. Exercise also allows an outlet for reducing stress and managing difficult emotions, which is key in self-care.

Balance “you time” + caring for others

Set boundaries in your everyday life. Turn your work email off when you’re done for the day, and don’t check it until you’re on the clock again. Seriously. The same goes for personal relationships. If there are family members who demand too much of your time or friends who call during your downtime after work, it is important to set boundaries there as well.

Letting these people know the times you are available to talk or even set a limit on how much time you can give them. Take an entire weekend to yourself if you need it.