Creating Habits: Self-care for long-term wellness

Self-care can be rewarding and relaxing; however, it is different than self-indulgence.  Self-care routines are often essential to a healthy lifestyle. Self-care isn’t about escaping your daily stresses, it’s about creating a routine that makes your daily responsibilities easier to manage.

Often we need to be more attentive to our sleep schedules, diets, and exercise routines.  There are things in life that may cause us to feel moody, physically under par and sluggish.  Self-indulging by sitting down with a bowl of ice cream, binge watching a show, or staying up most the night may get us a quick fix of relief and be enjoyable; however, self-care is more about creating habits that contribute to our long-term wellness.

Meditation for self-care

Our lives are hectic, and this makes us feel selfish when sitting down to focus on ourselves. Taking 15 minutes every day to channel your inner peace will give you the energy to enjoy the rest of your day.  Just think of it as refilling your cup – and giving you clarity. Make it easy on yourself and create a habit of silence 15 minutes following lunch, or 15 minutes before you leave for work.  Pick a time and stick with it.

Water for self-care

We may be aware that we need to drink more water; but more importantly, it is a necessity for wellness.  Sometimes our bodies even misinterpret thirst signals as pain. Every function of the body depends on water.  One of the easier self-care habits to form is setting specific times each day to drink an entire glass of water.  A glass of water right after you wake up tells your body that it’s time to get going; whereas, drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal helps with digestion.  Drinking water an hour after a meal allows the body to absorb nutrients. These are just a few, to get more great times to drink water, check out EVERYDAY HEALTH, and see 8 of the best times to drink water.

Massage for self-care

Massage can help the body in many ways, include physical relaxation, greater flexibility, improved circulation, relief for tight muscles, enhanced energy and vitality. The relaxation response is known to lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system. Taking time for massage therapy helps recenter, rejuvenate, and refresh.  Scheduling time out for a massage, or time daily in a massage chair is a great way to recenter and refresh.

Make self-care a habit

Don’t set yourself up for failure, start with picking a couple things that you know would make your life better.  When your goal is to make self-care a priority but aren’t sure where to start, below are a few more simple self-care ideas that will assist in long-term wellness.

“We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.”

~Aristotle

Self-care is about relaxing, relieving stress, and creating time away from work, emotional burdens, and engaging activism.  Take a deep breath each day and make a little time for your wellness.