The Perfect Self-Care Routine

In the pandemonium of it all, it can be a little hard to keep to a routine or even find the perfect self-care routine that’ll help you, relax, detox, relieve and release stress. We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping a routine especially a self-care routine. To help you with that, here are a few simple key practices that you can add or replace with your current routine. You can thank us later!

Repeat after me – “self-care is not a reward, but a vital part of being human. I am deserving of a great self-care routine and I will start my self-care journey today!”

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE:

1. It can prevent burnout and help increase productivity.

2. It helps to reduce the physical and psychological effects of stress.

3. It can help you refocus, recharge, re-balance, reset and aid a better understanding of the important things in life.

HOW TO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU NEED TO ACTIVATE YOUR SELF-CARE ROUTINE:

1. Be attentive to your body – what is it telling you?

Are you having trouble sleeping? Are you finding new random spots on your face? Is your eye twitching? These are just some little signs that show you might need to schedule your self-care routine ASAP! Now everybody is different, and signs of stress may show within the body in different ways, the worst thing you can do is ignore it and think it’ll go away tomorrow. It very well may, but the message you’re sending to your body is, “you’re not that important on my list of things to get done today”. Ouch! even I’m hurt.

2. Be conscious of your actions – what are you doing that’s a little bit different from your norm?

If you find yourself getting up to eat junk food at 4am in the morning, when you know good well that you should be in full blown deep sleep right now – that my dear is a tell-tale sign that you need to hit that reset button. Or maybe you’re finding yourself, watching too much cat videos – although therapeutic for some, if you find yourself doing this and you don’t even like animals then hoonnnneeyyyy it’s recharge time! It’s important that you pay attention to the change in your actions and do something about it.

3. What do the people around you think? – if your friends and family or even colleagues are noticing a change, maybe you’re a little crankier than normal, maybe you don’t reach out as much, or maybe they’re finding themselves tiptoeing on eggshells around you trying not to wake up the angry bear. You yourself may have notice a bleaker mood than normal then beloved, it’s time to supercharge your self-care routine. Your loved ones are important figures in your life for many reasons including finding that balance and being a better human in general. They’re sort of like your signposts in life that you’re on the right track, so don’t damage relationships all because you’ve forgotten the importance of looking out for No1 – YOU. Take charge and re-focus!

Don’t get me wrong it’s easy for us to let go of ourselves especially in the middle of everything going on, but a self-care routine is part of self-love and if you’re really serious about self-love you’ll do the needy. Self-care is nothing new, if you need the reminder, here it is.

Now understand that depending on whatever it is you’re going through, mood, or ease. You may need to have a couple of different self-care routines and that is perfectly fine, in fact its normal so don’t trip here are a few ideas to keep you going, help you recharge, relax and refuel.

Hectic Day Self-Care Routine: (if you know you’re going to have a busy day ahead and want to stay at the top of your game, here are a few things to try adding to your day for better results)

1. Shower 🚿 – yes, shower! The number of people who forget the simple step that a great personal hygiene can help in making your day and helping you achieve success. I get it, we’re stuck at home, who’s going to smell you anyway? It’s all zoom calls and IM’s no one can smell you through the computer. It’s not about other people, but do you really want to walk around your house smelling funky? Probably not.

If that’s not good enough, did you know that showering can have a huge positive impact on your psychological wellbeing?

Fun Fact: A 5-minute cold shower can help relieve symptoms of depression, boost energy, aid better sleep and much more!

So, don’t skip out on your next shower!

2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate 💦 – you’re probably tired of hearing everybody scream the importance of drinking water so I won’t bore you with another TED Talk. Remember even the desert needs water.

3. Say a positive mantra – now if you’re familiar with self-affirmations then you already understand the power of the tongue. If you’re going in for a really important business meeting and are filled with nerves, a good mantra could help get out of your head. Maybe you have an annoying work colleague who constantly antagonises you, a good mantra could help you stay positive and overcome. Afterall, hurt people hurt people, no good rising to their drama, stay above it all, take a deep breath in, breathe out and woosah.

4. Other things include: give yourself a well-deserved hug, be silly for 5 minutes, try to schedule some laughing time, and if you’re looking for that extra boost try CBD – filled with natural plant goodness CBD can positively affect the brain, helping you stay positive and alleviates stress.

Pamper Day Self-Care Routine: (it’s the weekend, the week has just been hectic, you want to surround yourself with all things peace, love and tranquillity, here a few things to try. Note you don’t have to do this only on the weekend, just whenever you feel like – because why not?)

1. Fall in love with you 🥰  – yes that’s right, I said it! RuPaul said it best “if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” Can I get a Amxn/Awomxn up in here?!🙌🏾

Falling in love with you can include getting to know yourself intimately – falling in love with all the things that make you uniquely you. i.e., get comfortable with your naked body, using a mirror look at yourself lovingly, speaking to all the parts of your body from your toes right down to your forehead. After all the skin is the largest organ in the human body, get to know and love the organ that protects the rest of the body from harm.

Nobody can love you better than you can, you don’t have to be a narcissist to love yourself.

2. Treat yourself 🎁 – now if you’ve been looking at a pair of shoes, or maybe a new watch or something that you’ve always wanted, gift it to yourself. Don’t be waiting on special occasions to receive gifts, gift yourself whenever you feel it. There’s an inner joy that comes with opening a present to yourself and later on reading the nice note left inside, it serves as a great pick me up!

Other ways to treat yourself include providing your body with the nutrients it needs. Give your body a treat today and try CBD for that extra special I love you from me to me.

3. Meditate – you do not need to be a Buddhist Monk to mediate. Meditation can come in many forms. You could be sitting on the toilet and meditating simply by being in a quiet and tranquil state releasing all the junk you ate yesterday.

You could also mediate by giving yourself 15 minutes of sun, fresh air and calm by going outside for that well deserved walk. It’s all about being in a calm and quiet state allowing your mind, body, soul and spirit to centre itself.

Define what mediation means to you and do it – unplug from social media for 1 hour, burn a candle, write down your thoughts, read a book, draw, paint, express yourself. Just do something that is uniquely you and will help in recentring you.

These are just some helpful tips and tricks. We are in no way Guru’s or licenced therapists, but these are just a few things we have tried and have found helpful. Always remember to check-in with yourself and emotions as often as you can.

Your wellness journey starts here!

SERENITY AWAITS…