In one moment, our world was upended. We are all dealing with a bombardment of news and rapidly changing information as we navigate these unprecedented times. Last year The World Health Organization officially classified burnout — the emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by chronic and unmanaged stress as an occupational phenomenon (disease). That was before the layering of the pandemic stressors.
You are likely tired, overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, and exhausted. I get it, me too! More than ever, you need to be resilient and adaptive to the new norms as they consistently change from day-to-day.
Beyond all the responsibilities that you have at work and home, you are responsible for taking care of yourself. Now more than ever. There is something beautiful that happens when you nourish yourself. We could all use something beautiful.
When you fly, the flight attendant starts her message by saying, “put your oxygen mask on first, then help the people around you.” The same is true for how you manage your daily life. Self-care enhances your well-being, manages your anxiety and stress, and enables you to live a more fulfilling and healthy life.
Today self-care looks different. Done is better than perfect. Letting go of outcomes eases up on your stress level and those around you. You don’t need to win a Nobel prize or write a book (unless you want to). You might not be able to schedule a massage, manicure, vacation to get away for a little while a few weeks. The best self-care you can do is practice it daily. Create a stress less environment where you can, a space just for you. Form healthy habits. Find a routine. Get out in nature. Sleep. Exercise. Connect. Find what nourishes you.
Self-care is different for everyone. It’s personal, don’t mimic what other people are doing, create what is authentic to you. Determine what you need to fuel your body and mind to reduce stress, anxiety, and prevent burnout. Adapt to your new normal not to survive the day but to flourish.
Weave these eight categories of self-care organically into your day.
Physical
- Sleep – to know how many hours you need to sleep, go to sleep at your regular time, and do not set an alarm clock. When you naturally wake up, that will let you know how many hours you need to get each night. Then you can create a bedtime based on when you need to rise.
- Exercise – Try Introducing movement organically for emotional benefits as well as physical benefits. Garden. Walk—bike ride. Make sure you take breaks during the day to stand. Stand at your desk. Stretch.
- Nutritionally. Eat fruits and vegetables, foods with healthy fats, reduce sugar and salt for a healthy diet. Keep a diary of foods that make you feel good and foods that don’t. Then you can try to eliminate the foods that bring you down. Try not to eat every time you walk through the kitchen. Be kind to yourself about your habits right now. Sometimes you need to have some comfort food.
- Hygiene – wash your hands, showers/baths, take care of your teeth. Keep the house clean.
- Know your numbers – manage your health. Don’t skip doctor’s appointments; go virtually if needed.
Emotional – Be grateful for at least one thing each day. Invite acceptance. Practice coping skills to increase resiliency. Seek help when you need it.
Social – With your friends and family, create your COVID bubble. Volunteer in the community. Have compassion and patience for yourself and others.
Spiritual – Connect with nature every day. Practice a more profound sense of meaning.
Environmental – Create a space in your home that is nurturing. Bring the outdoors in. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost. Grow food.
Work – Know what you can do, set boundaries, ok to say no, ask for help, take breaks, and connect, share, be a great listener. Stick to a routine, have a definite start, and end your workday. Make a list of what you have achieved, even the smallest tasks. Congratulate yourself for work well done. Limit zoom fatigue, not every meeting needs to be a zoom meeting. Emails and texts can be very efficient and less time-consuming.
Financial – Make saving fun; look at different saving apps. Discover new ways to create income, garage sale, Etsy, etc. Live within your means by creating a budget or pay down your debt with the snowball method. Find support, create a plan B, C, and D if needed.
Fun! – Integrate your passions, enjoy what you do. Everyone seems to bake, try it for yourself. Play games, puzzles, watch a movie trilogy. Find something that makes you smile and something that engrosses you. When was the last time you got so involved with something fun that you lost track of time?
Meditation is in a separate category of self-care. It can fit into all eight areas of self-care. The beauty of meditation is that we can practice it for any amount of time, and anywhere. The benefits are enormous, and if you pick one thing to start your self-care practice, meditation is a brilliant place to start.