#SelfCareSunday
Leading a well-rounded life is easier said than done. Either our professional or personal life ends up taking over and we can often be left feeling burnt out, run down, stressed, and exhausted. For me, my professional life is taking priority right now. As much as I love everything about it, the last few weeks have gone by in a blink with my to-do list still seeming full when I head into the weekend. Although my life is busy and I am often hustling from one place to the next, doing admin work whenever I get a chance, I pride myself on making time for me. The way I see it, no one is going to give you a gold star for doing more, especially when you come out on the other side, burnt out and needing a break afterwards.
#SelfCareSunday has blown up like every other trendy thing on social media these days. I really like this. For me, Sundays are my day off so they are normally spent catching up on sleep, lounging around while I do work, going to the cottage, reading, watching the Blue Jays and being with my family. I try my best to at least give myself one day a week where everything I do is decided based on me. I choose to do it all rather than doing it out of obligation. I get more joy out of what I do on Sundays and it leaves me refreshed and ready to head into the week ahead.
Although we as a society are talking more openly about taking time for self-love and self-care, I think it needs to be practiced on a more regular basis. Not just when we feel burnt out and at the end of our capacity, and not just because it will make a good Instagram post about whatever it is you are doing for self-care. From talking with others and from experience, people often only decide to choose ‘me time’ and self-love practices when they are exhausted, overworked and overstressed.
Instead, these activities and choices should be made more regularly to help us stay on track, reenergize our bodies and minds, and reduce the chances of getting to the state of being burnt out. Whether it is 10 minutes every day (especially for those with families), or an entire day allotted to you, setting time aside will leave us all feeling refreshed and able to be more productive and efficient when we do work.
My favourite self-love and self-care practices include:
- escaping the city and spending time on the lake at my cottage
- reading
- watching sports
- spending time with family
- going to bed early and waking up with no alarm set (happens only once a week!)
- going for a walk while listening and dancing to my favourite tunes
- staying in my pyjamas all morning
- regular skin care routines and pedicures
If a full day is something that doesn’t seem to fit into your lifestyle, I challenge you to choose one simple thing each day for you. Whether it is meditation when you wake up for 10 minutes, reading a few pages of a book before you sleep, or choosing to lounge around one afternoon and enjoy the summer weather, make the effort. You will thank yourself later when you are feeling refreshed rather than burnt out and needing more time off to recover.
Be fierce. Be strong. Be vibrant.
Rachel
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