Self-Care Takes a Village
Let’s talk about #selfcare and #teamwork.
During the pandemic, we have all experienced some form of loneliness, isolation and social disconnect. More than ever, conversations about burn-out and stress are happening more often than they did in our pre-COVID world. Back-to-back video calls, lack of vacation time, long days, over time, work-from-home productivity proof are just a few of the reasons why we’re seeing the most vivacious robbed of their sparkle. Healthcare workers, first responders, and essential service workers have found that there is no end in sight. The demands from work have disrupted vacation days, income, and the daily balance of work/home life balance.
The balance is lost.
Which brings me to self care. You know the expression “it takes a village”? Well, when we think of self care we picture pampering oneself with face masks and manicures. But it goes beyond vacations, a luxurious bath and hitting the yoga mat. Self care means developing a plan, building a team, and ensuring that you have surrounded yourself with the people that you need. Who you can lean on for support? Who will listen to you, care for you and have your back? At some point during the pandemic, we’ve all missed the social interactions to laugh, smile, hug, and love.
And when it comes to work, demands on essential workers feel unescapable and for those work-from-home office workers, webcams are not providing you with the human care. But, there are a few ways you can nurture your self care team and routine during these new-normal times.
Six Ways to Fill Your Cup (with a Team)
Fill up that cup
1.0 Fill that cup!
Start with filling up your own cup. Self care needs a team, and that team needs you. So, make sure to put on your own oxygen mask first. Follow a healthy lifestyle: eat whole foods (mostly plants), drink water, breathe fresh air, meditate, get out into nature and love yourself first before you take anyone else under your wings.
Pause and take time in your day for you. Fill up a cup of tea and get outside.
2.0 Commute your commute time
If you work from home, maintain your “commute” time. It doesn’t mean you need to take an unnecessary car ride. But if that helps you, do it. Get in the car, play your favourite music or podcast and empty the busy thoughts from your mind. Meditate for 5 minutes. Journal. Convert the time you used to have for getting to work into something new - just for you! Include a friend on your “commute” and have a virtual coffee break to start the day.
At the end of your day, wash it off in the shower. Create separation in your home between work time and home time. The two parts of your day need separation and they need space. Use your “commute” time to walk outside, if possible. Bring someone you love for that “commute” - yes, your dog is ‘someone’. Lunchtime walks with my dogs are my favourite thing to do.
3.0 Check it out, or in
Checking-in. This means check in with a colleague, friend, family member and let them know you’re there. These are the same people you can count on to be there for you when you need them most.
If you feel down or separated from social interactions, let them know. And be sure that you are selecting the same people that will check in on you. It’s a two-way street and if you have people in your life wanting to tell you all their problems and never listen to you, then cut the cord. Seriously, you don’t need to be drained: LIFE IS SHORT.
If you are victim of these energy vampires though, be sure to work on regenerating that energy. These interactions can place hooks in you, leaving you feel tethered to something negative that’s weighing you down. Surround yourself with people that make you feel good and build your team.
4.0 Community
Join a group or create your community. Your circle can be small. Find something that you really enjoy and connect with others that enjoy it too. If you like to meditate, meditation apps, like Insight Timer, offer circles or groups that will connect others with common interests to you and you can meditate together. It’s a positive way to start or end your day.
Volunteer somewhere that needs you and tugs on your heart strings. You’ll surely find like-minded people here.
Sign up for a workshop or masterclass on something that interests you most. Learning and connecting is a magical combination that we all need for sparking those neurons.
5.0 Blissful Dreams
Most importantly for your health you need S.L.E.E.P. This is generally the first and most important thing I tell all of my clients. Get 7-8 hours of blissful sleep a night. If you have trouble falling asleep, talk to your favourite holistic nutritionist (wink wink) about nutrition, exercise, and supplements, such as magnesium.
Treat yourself like a toddler. Fill your day with activity and buzz. Tire yourself out. Make time to play with your kids, pets, or partner. Be silly. Remember how tired you were as a kid on those sun-filled outdoor days that were packed with joy and laughter? Create that.
6.0 The Sorcery
When you’re ready to start filling your cup, write down your self-care plan of how you are going to tackle each day. Ask yourself questions like:
Who is a part of your self-care team?
How do you feel about them supporting you?
How do they feel about supporting you?
Can you reciprocate?
What will you commit to daily? Weekly? Monthly?
How will you track your progress?
How will you celebrate your progress?
What are you most looking forward to?
What are you least looking forward to? And what do you need to change to make this more pleasant?
What do you need to for your self-care kit? Tea? A nice blanket? Meditation app?
Who will coach you and keep you accountable to you and your team?
When your plan is made, you’ve got direction, but sticking to your plan takes accountability. This is where a coach specializing in holistic wellness and nutrition will help you. Working with a holistic nutritionist is more than just meal plans and supplements, I can help you create your self care plan, find and build your self care team, AND most importantly, keep you accountable in your plan to wellness.
If you’d like to chat about your self-care plan, book your free discovery call with me today.
