When I say ‘self care’ I’m not talking about choosing better shampoo or how often we should brush our teeth. I am talking about taking care of our emotional and mental wellbeing. This past year has been a really tough one for us all and I think it has highlighted vulnerabilities and strengths we may never have thought we had when having to deal with life during a global pandemic. For me it has highlighted how important it is to slow down and focus on the little things in life and making sure you look after yourself. So for this blog post, Life’s Little things brings you 5 little things for better self care.
Get enough sleep
Since becoming a Mum I have really come to learn and appreciate the importance of sleep! When we have gone through rough sleep patches of disturbed nights and being up with one of the kids, in the worst times I didn’t feel like myself at all. My mood would be very low and I literally couldn’t think straight. I would need a nap like the kids just to make it to the end of the day!
Having a nice relaxing bedtime routine can really help with a good nights sleep. You could do things like make a ‘to do’ list and jot down all those stray thoughts that always occur just as you are getting ready to go to sleep. By getting them down on paper, you won’t need to think about them! Other ideas are listening to some relaxing music, or doing some relaxing yoga. The one recommendation I always struggle with is avoiding smartphones and tablets an hour before bed. But I am going to try harder to not work so late and give myself time to unwind before bed to help get a better nights sleep.
Getting enough sleep not only boosts your mental health and wellbeing but research shows it even boosts your immunity! After the past year, having good immunity can only be a good thing. Something as simple as getting more sleep is so good for you, so snuggle up and sweet dreams!
Talk
An article on mentalhealth.org.uk says that talking about your feelings can help you stay in good mental health, and can help you feel supported if you have a problem. So many times I will chew a problem over and over in my head. As soon as I talk to someone about it though, I feel so much better! Do you find that? Many times whoever I am talking to will then say they have had the same problem or worries. Just talking to someone and knowing you’re not alone in your thoughts and feelings is a great way to take care of yourself. Whether it is through text, over the phone, FaceTime or getting out for a walk with a friend, get talking.
You time
When I talk about you time, I don’t mean time on your own so you can get the housework done. I mean proper YOU time, where you do something for YOU and only YOU. Whether that is going out for a walk, a trip to the beach to have an ice cream by yourself. Maybe take yourself out for lunch and a little bit of shopping. You could set aside a little time each week to learn a new hobby. Or just relax, read a book or watch your favourite programme. Just because YOU want to.
Being a Mum to 2 young children, a lot of my time is spent doing things for others. While I don’t mind doing things for my family, every now and then it is really important that I give myself a break and do something for me. It gives me time to refresh and re-energise. I am a better Mum, Wife and person when I return.
Escapism
There is so much going on in the world. We have the news and social media constantly at our fingertips telling us the good, the bad and the ugly all the time. I love nothing more than a bit of escapism every now and then to get away from it all. I love getting lost in a good book or engrossed in a film. I’ll admit, when things get tough I normally turn to a Disney film, or my favourite tv programme, Friends. It’s even better if you know what you are watching really well because just for a little bit you can completely switch off your brain and not even have to think! Or I love putting on some of my favourite music and singing along like no one is listening and dancing around like no one is watching.
It’s ok to ask for help
Something that is really really important to remember about self care is that you don’t have to know all the answers. You don’t have to know exactly how is best to look after your mental and emotional wellbeing, or why you feel the way you do, or exactly how you can make yourself feel better. You don’t have to know everything about how to bring up kids, or how to deal with a global pandemic or just deal with life in general. There are many places, organisations and people that you can reach out to for help.
Should you feel you need to reach out for help or advice please check out the list of numbers available at mind.org, nhs.uk or here is a selection below.
Taking a bit of time to look after yourself whenever you need it, will not only benefit you but also those around you. These are just 5 little things for better self care, but there are plenty more things that you could do. I have lots of ideas saved over on the Life’s Little Things Happiness and Mindfulness board on Pinterest. For a little happiness boost, you could always check out my blog post about Hygge, or for some motivation and inspiration you could check out 9 little quotes to live by – Part 1.
See you in 2 weeks. For more posts you can check out my Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest accounts.
Take care,
Jem X