5 Practical Ways To Manage Your Self Care

Self care has been a popular topic over the past few years. We’re advised to prioritize self care, and practice it for at least a few minutes each day. But what does this actually mean? This article is going to provide five practical ways to manage your self care.

Ways To Manage Your Self Care

Stop Putting Of Health Appointments

Self care doesn’t always mean doing your favorite things. It also means prioritizing your health. So finally attend that doctor, or dentist appointment you’ve been putting off for the last few months. Take time to look after yourself and make sure your health is at full capacity. If you have niggling aches and pains, like that wisdom tooth coming through, book an appointment with a consultant at Lang Lang Dental for a check-up, and you’ll thank yourself later.

Do Something You Enjoy 

Self care doesn’t always mean doing your favorite things, but it definitely does mean doing them some of the time. Take the time to do something you enjoy – whether that’s by yourself, or with a friend or loved one. Spend a half hour knitting, going for a run, or reading a book. Think of things that you know will boost your mood. Make it an immovable date with yourself in the diary that you will not compromise on. 

Get Some Exercise

As early as the 1980s, clinical studies proved that exercise helps you release endorphins, which alter your brain chemicals to make you feel happier. So get outdoors for a half an hour each day as a practical self care exercise. Make your routine scalable to your ability – don’t try and run a marathon if you have never run before. You might want to try yoga, learn to sprint walk, or even try kickboxing for the first time. Aim for at least three half an hour sessions outdoors during the week.

Master A Skill

Mastery of a skill can give you a sense of confidence over time. Try something new or develop your mastery over an existing skill. The estimated figure for learning expertise is around 10,000 hours of practice, so don’t become daunted if developing a skill takes you a while. But becoming an expert in something can give you a sense of renewed independence and resilience. Expand on your existing skill set as part of a practical self care routine.

Take Practical Steps To Stop Self Criticism

It can be very difficult to practically conquer self criticism. But part of self care is about being kinder to yourself. So schedule in some time to prevent self criticism practically, by: 

• Giving yourself a window of time to process your emotions – box your emotions into a 30 minute window and try to write down how you are feeling.
• Redefining moments of success by writing down moments in a working day that made you proud.
• Write down all the things you are good at.

These are practical actions that you can take which will gradually improve your view of yourself and help stop self criticism over time.

Conclusion

Self care is a practical way of looking after yourself. Attending your health appointments are a way to manage your physical and mental health. Doing something you enjoy is also an achievable way to practice self care. Exercise is scientifically proven to boost your mood, while mastering a skill can also help you improve your confidence and resilience. Finally, take practical steps to conquer your inner demons, by capturing your thoughts on paper.