How I Do Self-Care

I think self-care is really important. If we don't make the time to take care of ourselves then we won't be able to help anybody else in our life or in our business. It's just like how we should put our own oxygen mask first before we can put on someone else's mask on. You can't help anybody unless you help yourself first.

These are some of things I do to take care of myself:

1. Eat healthy majority of the time. I like to eat unprocessed foods as much as I can. So that means more veggies, lean protein, healthy fats, and fruits. Eating like this leaves me feeling good and energized. I do from time to time let myself eat processed foods (like pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, etc.) but I knowingly understand that while it may taste good at the moment, it may leave me feeling bloated and tired afterwards. Everything in moderation.

2. Read. My goal for each month is to read 1 fiction book and 1 non-fiction book. Reading lets me get out of my head and either enjoy a great story and/or learn something new I can apply to my life.

3. Meditate. Meditating helps me to quiet my mind and relax. I love using the Calm app for meditating.

4. Doing puzzles or Lego. Whenever I do puzzles or Lego it lets me relax my mind because I'm so focused on putting it together that it helps to forget whatever else is going on. It gives me a mental break from daily todos and it's kind of like a creative meditation.

5. Exercise. Any kind of exercise works for me: a walk in the park, a pilates session, a HIIT workout, or playing Beat Saber on a Virtual Reality set.

6. Talk to a friend. I always feel good after a nice catch up call or meetup with a friend.

7. Quality time with my husband, family and friends. It helps to bring you closer to people and improve daily interactions.

8. Take a walk. I like to walk anywhere with fresh air, away from cars, quiet, and in nature.

9. Watch TV. Sometimes I feel guilty watching TV when I have things on my to do list I still need to do. But, it's perfectly fine to set a time every week to watch or binge a series to "getaway" for a bit after my 3 important tasks are done.

10. Stretch. I like to do gentle stretches after a workout or a walk. Stretching prevents that stiffness feeling in your muscles.

11. Declutter. When I walk into a room that is clutter free, it just brings so much peace to my mind. I'm able to work right away at my desk or relax if that's what's on the agenda. I try to make it a habit to declutter for at least 10 minutes each day so it doesn't get crazy at the end of the week. It also helps to put things away right away.

12. Sleeping early. Sleeping early helps me to wake up naturally without an alarm clock and it ensures that I get enough sleep.

13. Write what I'm grateful for. I do this every morning as part of my morning routine. Doing this everyday brings more happiness to my life and not take anything for granted.

14. Take a day off from work. This helps me to recharge and be more productive after a restful day off.

15. Complete the top 3 important tasks of your day. When I complete my top 3 tasks of the day, I feel so accomplished and it totally boosts up my ego.

16. Listen to podcasts. I love learning from all the podcasts I listen to while I'm cleaning, cooking or driving. I'm always learning something new every time I listen to a podcast which expands my thinking.

17. Listen to music. I have playlists ready for whatever mood I want to feel: Get pumped up, get motivated, relax, get happy, and so on. It totally helps.

18. Less time on social media.

19. Hang out with people you like. This is pretty obvious. Hang out with people who bring you joy and not stress.

20. Relax. I just close my eyes and I'll let myself fall asleep if my body needs a nap.

How do you do self-care?