Self-Care for Life: Incorporating it Into Your Daily Routine
Self-care is tricky. We often lack the time and/or money to set aside special time for
ourselves, and, in the end, we suffer for it. But you can work self-care into your daily life without throwing time or money out the window. By seeking online therapy, forming a support group, treating yourself to new (inexpensive) clothing, meditating at work, and listening to audiobooks in the car, you’ll discover that self-care is easier to work in than you think!
Online therapy
Some argue that we all need therapy. Having an outside, impartial perspective can
provide truly valuable insight. It can make a massive impact on your mental health,
especially if you have conditions like anxiety or depression. Still, it takes time, money,
and major commitment. Fortunately, online therapy is now an option. Virtual counseling
allows you to choose from a wide variety of therapists, and often there’s a free
consultation to help you get started on your search. You’ll save time on travel and
treatment while still keeping a private, secure file. Best of all, you can speak to your
therapist right from home where you’ll likely feel more comfortable and ready to share.
Form a support group
Sometimes, it’s nice to get into a group of people and share what’s on your mind. Often,
you’ll feel you’re less alone. You can help others, increase understanding of yourself
and your own feelings, reduce stress, improve your social skills, and gain hope. One of
the best opportunities for starting a group is at work. Talk to your fellow employees
about it and gauge interest. It’s OK if your group starts out small because there’s always
room to grow. Decide the frequency and location of meetings, rotating if necessary.
Treat yourself to new (affordable) clothing
When you look good, you feel good. Treat yourself to a few new, inexpensive garments.
Look for fitted shirts, pants, and skirts that flatter your shape, and shoes that give you a
lift of confidence — but make sure they all feel comfortable as well as look good. For
those who wear bras, it’s probably time for a replacement or two. Though you certainly
don’t want to sacrifice style, be sure to look for bras that are comfortable and easy to
put on. If a bra is beautiful but you need help clasping it, what’s the point? Search for
bras with no underwire for ultimate comfort.
Meditate at work
Meditation comes with all kinds of benefits. It brings increased awareness, compassion,
clarity, and calm. Often after meditating, your problems won’t seem as daunting. Work is
a great place to practice meditation because sessions can be as long as you like. If
you’re working on a big project and suddenly feel so overwhelmed you can’t catch your
breath, stop and meditate for a few minutes. If you have a lot on your mind during your
lunch break, take a moment to clear your head with mindful eating. Meditating requires
no money and only the amount of time you can spare, and it’s excellent self-care.
Listen to audiobooks in the car
If you have a long commute to work, listening to the same old radio stations gets old
quickly. Instead, try listening to audiobooks in the car. Benefits include improved
memory, focus, attention span, pronunciation and fluency, and even time management.
Audiobooks give you something else to focus on rather than rush hour traffic, but don’t
distract you so much that it’s dangerous. It’s a great way to give your brain a break
before or after a long day of work, and with the low cost of audiobooks, it takes up little
money and essentially no time.
We all talk about self-care, but practicing it is often easier said than done. Fortunately,
there are ways to incorporate it into your everyday life. Seek online therapy, form a
support group, treat yourself to affordable new clothing, meditate at work, and listen to
audiobooks in the car as just a few ways to add self-care to your routine.
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Leslie Campos has donated multiple article to help RealitySeeker grow to help veterans and other people trying to live their best lives.
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