Don’t Ignore Your Self-care Routine
Don’t Ignore Your Self-care Routine
I spent my entire weekend in bed. Literally. I got up twice to workout but only because I felt like a sloth to such an extent that the only way to make up for it was to go the other extreme. But as soon as those workouts (and my guilt) were over, I was back in bed, watching shows, drinking my mocha fraps and eating (alot) of banana muffins (recipe here).
I’ve been ignoring my self care routine–the routine I’m always teaching my clients about: Meditations, journaling, quiet time for myself, workouts and instead I only focused on my work and what “has to get done.” I lost my balance.
And my body and mind finally said enough.
I’m sure this has happened to you at some point. Maybe it’s happening to you now. Especially that the school year is winding down and Ramadan is just around the corner and you just don’t feel like you can Do. One. More.Thing.
It is SO EASY for me to spend my whole day in bed.
Since I work from home, I literally plop my laptop on my lap and that’s it. My office is ready to go. And as tempting as that is these days, I know that I will end up spiralling out of control very fast into an even worse state of fatigue.
And seeing as how my schedule is not slowing down any time soon and especially because I have another work trip next week, I decided to take action before it gets any worse.
I want to share with you what to do when you find yourself overwhelmed and run down or about to feel overwhelmed and run down. It usually takes me a good two weeks to start to feel better when I implement these steps.
1. Pay attention to your body’ signals. Your body REALLY DOES know best. Follow its lead. The longer you ignore the signals, the worse the symptoms will get.
2. Prioritize. Unless you can take off for a few days, you still have a job to do whether in your career or as a mother, or both. Whittle it down to the absolute basics and do ONE thing at a time.
3. Delegate. Give yourself permission to delegate items on your to-do list to others. That way, you leave more time to focus on what matters most to you.
4. Say No. Superwoman syndrome is pervasive but dangerous, so resist the urge to do it all. It’s OK to turn down obligations that don’t serve you and carve out time for YOU.
5. Meditate (Super relaxing)
6. Sleep – A LOT.
7. Order in and eat what you want.
8. Warm Epsom salt baths
9. Workout
10. Schedule a Massage. Tension often lodges in muscles in your neck, back, and other areas of your body, so splurge on the occasional massage for a release and an hour dedicated solely to your relaxation!
Don’t let feelings of overwhelm become your norm, which is what we usually do. By adopting some of these techniques, you can trade a negative mindset for positive, productive, and potentially life-changing habits.
Dana Dinnawi is an Integrative Nutrition health coach specializing in empowering women to improve their health and family life. She received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she studied more than one hundred dietary theories and a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. She can be reached through her website and Facebook page.
