It’s been a long day at work, the stress is piling up, and all you want to do is take a breather and focus on yourself. And why shouldn’t you spend a bit of time pampering yourself? In this fast-paced world, sometimes people forget to take the time to pause and focus on themselves, leading to a higher chance of burnout. In fact, in an article on Forbes, John Hall states it succinctly when he said that self-care isn’t selfish. It is a way to build your self-worth and recognize how valuable you are.
But how, exactly, do you go about giving yourself “me time” when your schedule sometimes feels like it’s packed to the brim? Here’s an important tip you shouldn’t ignore: make sure to prioritize yourself. Schedule in some of that me time on your calendar to ensure you don’t burn out faster than you expect.
Sugar, Spice
Taking the time to practice self-care doesn’t mean that you spend all your money on a one-time splurge on things for yourself. Sometimes pampering yourself can mean letting yourself experience the small things in life that give you pleasure. It differs per person, so make sure to list down the small things that make you happy.
Having a hard time figuring out what simple activities you can do to treat yourself? Lifehack.org has a list of at least 30 things you can do to recharge from the hustle and bustle of your nine-to-five. Take a walk to enjoy nature. If you have a pet, you can kill two birds with one stone by taking your pet out for a walk. Low on energy and lacking sleep? Take a nap. The dishes can wait until later. If you have the energy and miss a friend, call them up for a coffee date or a movie date. If words are your thing, unleash all your stress by writing a poem or journaling to process everything you’ve gone through during the past workweek. Love jiving to music? Then take some time to come up with a playlist for a friend or even for yourself. If you play an instrument, consider picking it up again, even for a short time and just fiddling around with tunes you know or are learning.
And Everything Nice
Let’s say you want to do something more extravagant for yourself. If you have the budget, you can take yourself out on a date to a fancy restaurant you’ve been dying to try but have been apprehensive about going. Are you a fan of massages but don’t have the time or money to go to a massage parlor every week? Then why not hop on over to websites like osim.co.uk and consider investing in a personal body massager at home so you have something to look forward to every evening? Or perhaps you’ve had a DIY renovation project you’ve been itching to do for a while? Get all the plans figured out, and then head to your nearest hardware store to begin that renovation plan.
The act of cleaning and reorganizing your things has also been known to have therapeutic effects. So if you have the time, why not sort through your clothes and donate the ones you no longer fancy? And then supplement that with some shopping therapy by going out and buying yourself some new clothing items. You can even go online and search for new wardrobe inspirations from sites like Instagram or Pinterest.
But perhaps the ultimate way to treat yourself is to go on a vacation you’ve long had planned but never actually gone on. It can be a road trip with a few of your friends or an intimate getaway with your partner to the tropics. If you haven’t planned a vacation trip yet, consider planning one. Remember, half of the excitement is in the planning and preparation. Make a budget and explore places you can stay on sites such as Airbnb or Tripadvisor. The choices are limitless, so go wild.
A Pat on the Back
Remember, if you can invest so much of your time and effort into other people at work or home, you should also do so for yourself. It’s not selfish to acknowledge that you also deserve to reward yourself for doing the best you can at work and at home, even if your best on that day might not be what you wanted.
Rememeber to take the time you need to enjoy yourself in the world and invest in your mental well-being. As the saying goes, health is wealth—and there is no one more worthy of your investment than you.
