It’s always important to take the time to look after yourself. Particularly in the current circumstances. While it can feel as though there isn’t time to take a moment, there are small changes and implements you can make, to show yourself a little love.
Why should you focus on yourself? It is proven that looking after your well-being is linked with improving your health and being able to establish attitudes to support your goals. When you prioritize time for yourself, you are more likely to be physically and mentally supported.
Let’s take a moment to explore some of the small changes that will make a big impact.
1. Learn New Skills
Learning something new is a fantastic way to take on a hobby and expose yourself to new activities within the day. Continually learning is also linked with increasing your adaptability and upskilling yourself in a fulfilling way. Not to mention, it can help to increase your job prospects and general life satisfaction.
If you feel like unleashing your artistic side, you could always try justpaintbynumber.com, which gives you a step-by-step guide on how to create an amazing piece of artwork. You could also try your hand at gardening, fishing, or even learning a new type of software. Skills are not limited to sit-down learning, the scope for them is large. It’s always good to give yourself an opportunity to try something new and whichever skill you choose, it is important that you enjoy it – that way you’ll stick to it!
2. Do Something You Enjoy
Making time to do the things that you enjoy, is a key in contributing to improving your well-being. It could be as simple as rewatching your favorite TV series or cooking your favorite meal.
But why? Making the time for things you enjoy is proven to make you more motivated, improve your health and help you gain perspective. This is particularly significant if you have a lifestyle that leads to increased levels of stress. The recommendation is to do at least one thing you enjoy every single day and if you have time for more, that’s even better!
Whatever it is that puts a smile on your face, make sure you give yourself the time to do it, if not daily, then weekly. This may include things you’ve already tried, or include trying something you never have before.
3. Practise Mindfulness
Mindfulness is being present in the moment. Consider your body, your thoughts, and feelings, as well as the world around you. Take a moment to observe your surroundings and engage with them.
This sense of being present is proven to support your well-being by creating an awareness of your surroundings and emotions. When you are more aware of your surroundings, it helps to stabilize your mental health and create a sense of calm. This is particularly significant when you struggle with feelings of stress and anxiety as well as hypertension and chronic pain.
When practicing mindfulness, pick a particular time of the day that you will be able to stick to. Use this moment of calm to analyze your thoughts and surroundings. This is a small change that can have a significant impact. Once this is incorporated into your routine, you will be able to assess the time of day and amount of time that is necessary for you. These small changes can make the world of difference.
4. Physical Activity
A walk, a run, or a workout can significantly improve your mood and well-being. Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin within your body which trigger a positive feeling and also give you a sense of accomplishment. This is why many people attribute their success and positive attitude to physical activity.
Exercise is also linked to health. By exercising, you can keep your body both strong and healthy, decreasing pain and ailments, linked to a lack of exercise. It also decreases the feeling of loneliness and anxiety as it gives you something to do and work towards. Setting small goals is a big part of helping you slowly achieve your bigger goals.
It is also important to try to take a moment to get some fresh air and sunlight, change your setting and clear your mind. By doing this, you are more likely to be able to have a more restful sleep and wake up refreshed and reenergized. This will help you to be more productive, in turn increasing your well-being and sense of self-satisfaction.
5. Be Social
Speaking to friends and family is important to give you a break from day-to-day life. It is always important to keep in touch with your loved ones and make sure you take the time to speak to them. Sharing your thoughts and feelings in a comfortable environment is a key part of helping you resolve them. Once you verbalize your emotions, you get a better sense of them for yourself and you also allow the opportunity for others to support you through it.
Socializing is also important when it comes to improving memory and cognitive function. When you speak to others, it helps to increase your resistance to mental diseases, by helping to reduce the decline of brain function. Various studies have shown that this is particularly significant when applied to aging.
In short, communicating with others can reduce your levels of stress by increasing the ability to convey emotions and share feelings. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved.
6. Get Enough Rest
It is vital to get enough sleep in the day. You can incorporate this into your daily routine in many ways. As previously mentioned, exercise is fantastic for helping to aid a restful night of sleep. There are, however, many more ways in which you can support your body with getting enough sleep.
One of them is to avoid using technology before bed, as this can increase the amount of time you need to unwind. The use of technology increases your levels of alertness due to the stimulating nature of the device and the light which it emits. The recommendation is to put down technological devices around two hours before you sleep, to increase the ability to fall asleep faster.
There are also natural methods such as drinking herbal teas, as they are calming and a stress reliever. Reading also helps you unwind and relax before the end of the day.
Whichever method works, make sure you combine this with getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night.
Kim Marks