Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed or underwhelmed? Experiencing days where you feel like staying under the covers for the whole day is natural. But when you are experiencing a prolonged slump that leaves you too demotivated to do anything, then it's time for some self-care tips without the guilt to get you out from under the covers and going again.
Before we start, it's important to note that depression and anxiety are real and can affect men, women and children. If you suspect that you or a loved one could be suffering from depression or anxiety, you can receive free counselling and information from the South African Depression and Anxiety (SADAG) group or contact them on their toll-free number 0800 21 22 23.
Make me time a thing
Switch off your digital distractions and switch on mindfulness! It may seem like a catchphrase that is synonymous with self-care and mental health, but there is a good reason behind mindfulness. It's a practice that requires you to be intentional and present about your surroundings and what is happening inside of you. You get to choose how long you want to spend switching off and being mindful.
Go to a place where you feel comfortable and actively write down or get introspection of what is making you feel the way that you do and how you can work on changing it. Even if it means going for a run where you plug into a podcast that helps you destress or participate in meditation to reflect on what has been happening.
The aim is to focus on healthy ways that you can better your situation instead of spiralling into a negative hole of all the things that are currently going wrong. Remember to reach out and ask for help if you are struggling to do any mindful activities on your own.
Mind your diet
There are those moments where we need a quick pick me up in the form of our favourite fast food meal or junk food, especially if you have had a bad day. When the sugar and salt-packed high eventually crashes, it leaves us worse off than before. It can affect our sleeping patterns which impacts our health, mood, and productivity. A form of self-care is remembering to include a healthy diet. You can find out how to make easy to prepare meals that are healthy here.
Don’t lose sleep
Sleep is the fix that we all need but cutting back can affect our bodies on many levels. When you sleep your body has time to recover, repair and get rid of toxins that could potentially harm our brain. Sleep deprivation can shorten your life span, and it can also lead to you developing health problems. If you feel like you spend most of your nights blinking in the dark, even when you are tired, here is a healthy way to get you to sleep quicker.
Say no
Being busy is one of the reasons self-care is the last thing on many of our lists. It could also be due to us taking on more than we should, which can lead to stressful situations. Always remember to be gentle with yourself by saying no to things that you cannot take on due to other tasks that you may already have. Being honest with yourself and those around you can lead to you feeling less stressed and being able to deliver.
Stay organised
When you think about all the things you need to get done before the day is over, it can become overwhelming. It also means you will spend more time being stressed than finding a way to get around each task. Being organised is the best way to keep track of things and also prevent you from being stressed. Always remember to set a realistic goal of how many tasks you will be able to complete in a day and how long each one will take to complete.