Struggling with Self-Care? We're Here to Help.

The past decade has been the age of self-care. I think we, as a culture, have come to realize just how important it is to mitigate the effects of stress on our health, careers, and relationships, and self-care is just one of the ways we can do that. It’s an all-encompassing term that can include anything you do to improve your physical, emotional, mental, or social well-being, and it takes some thought and intentionality to define exactly what it means for you.

In Episode 005 of Nourify & Beautify, Linda came on the show to dig a little deeper into this notion of self-care. In Episode 004, we talked about defining your personal image and taking the time to develop self-awareness about how you show up in the world. But the foundation of your personal image, and truly of everything we talk about on this show, is setting up self-care routines that are built to last. That’s what this article is all about.

 

Where to Start When It Comes to Self-Care

First things first, you need to identify what kind of routine is going to suit your needs. Take into account your life stage, overall health, and personal values. Avoid comparing yourself with others, as the old saying goes, “comparison is the thief of joy.” Your best friend may need a routine that includes a high-impact workout, time to read her favorite novel, and a nightly skincare regimen. Take inspiration from the people around you, but put your own spin on it. You might be more of a yoga-podcast-facial person, and that’s okay!

 

How to Implement a Self-Care Routine

Once you’ve made your plan, it’s time to get started. You’re probably feeling all fired up and ready to go, filled with excitement and ready to start seeing those improvements in your life. But it’s not that simple. 

 

1. Start slow. Add things to your routine one-by-one, little-by-little. Adjusting your routine takes energy, and if you try to completely overhaul it all at once, you might burn yourself out. Remember, going from 0 to 100 isn’t a sustainable practice. When you’re making changes, whether it’s cooking more at home, starting a gym routine, or making more of an effort to stay connected with friends, start with one day a week and work your way up. Slow and steady is the way.

 

2. Train your brain. This can be the tough part, and the reason so many people can start a routine but not keep one up. Start with scheduling your self-care on a consistent basis, and do your best to stick to your plan. And every time you successfully stick to your routine, take a moment to celebrate yourself!

 

3. Track your progress. Progress takes time, and in the age of instant gratification, it can feel like it takes forever to happen. The kind of tracking you do should be relevant to what you’re doing AND keeping you motivated, so if you find taking “progress photos” is making you feel worse instead of better, shift to a journal or tracking app on your phone. Track not just how you look, but how you feel. And if you find that something isn’t creating the results you want, be open to letting it go - your self-care routine isn’t something you set and forget. It needs to change with you.

 

Common Self-Care Pitfalls (and How to Handle Them!)

It can be tough to get a new routine going. It can almost feel like “work” when you’d much rather be sitting watching your comfort shows or scrolling on social media. Distractions like these can lead to procrastination, which can lead to our precious self-care time being eaten up by watching TikToks of people doing the exact things we should be doing ourselves. We already know the apps are designed to keep us staring at them, so if you tend to get caught up in the endless scroll, try setting your self-care time for right after you finish another activity and BEFORE you have the chance to pull your phone out.

You’re also going to struggle to start or maintain routines if you’re exhausted. Sleep hygiene is probably the first and foremost indicator of physical and mental wellness, so if you’re struggling with getting enough hours of sleep, ditch the other routines for the time being and focus on that first. Most of us need 6-9 hours per night to feel our best.

If you’re managing your distractions and getting plenty of sleep, but you’re still having trouble with motivation, talk to someone you know about being an accountability partner. Everyone knows you’re more likely to go to the gym if you go with someone else, and we can apply that same principle here. Reach out to a sibling, cousin, friend, or co-worker to see if they’re interested in being your accountability partner – remember, they don’t have to do exactly the same routine you do, even just regular check-ins can make a world of difference!

 

No matter what your self-care routine looks like, you’re more likely to keep up with it if you’re set up for success. For more on setting up an incredible self-care routine that sticks, check out Episode 005 of Nourify and Beautify with Linda Yates.