Self-care

"Don't expect self-care to just happen to you"

Are you having trouble staying focused on the tasks ahead of you? You may have tried a series of practical tools like planners, task managers, lists, Kanban boards, Asana, Evernote and many more.

And yet you still find yourself pulled off track by distractions like your phone or email demanding attention all the time, obligations to family and friends, and even standard household tasks that seem to build up beyond belief?

Maybe you don’t need to find more practical tools, electronic calendars or task lists, but focus more on limiting the effect that an overwhelming workload has on you. Many of us feel that we need to address ‘issues’ we encounter in a practical way, but sometimes the problem lies deeper than the ability to finish tasks.

A calm mind that is conducive to continued focus is created from the inside out. External elements like time pressure, other people’s input – both positive and negative – can make it difficult to find proper balance internally.

Being mindful about yourself is an important stepping stone to inner calm. Learning to become aware when things are off-kilter and need to be righted is paramount to staying on top of your own wellbeing. Growing up, we are often told not to be selfish, help others, be kind to people, etc. However, ultimately those things can only be done after finding ourselves in a good mental space first.

Remember the safety instructions on a plane: place the oxygen mask on yourself first before you assist others? Now apply this to your life in general: how could you be helpful, kind, etc. to others if you don’t start by taking care of yourself? Being mindful of your own sense of wellbeing is that starting point, and everything else follows from here.

A basic meditation practice can assist with increasing mindfulness. Even spending just 5 to 10 minutes a day can build a sense of calm that allows you to let go of anxiety, worries and mental blockages in the long term. If you are unfamiliar with meditation techniques, I recommend looking on youtube or spotify for guided meditations.

The ultimate methods of self-care are the most basic ones: make time for yourself, sleep enough, exercise regularly! More often than not, people believe that ‘time to myself’ will happen organically, but sadly it doesn’t and never will. In order to benefit from proper ‘me time’, you have to firmly write it into your calendar and basically make a date with yourself.

Don’t rely on thinking that you’ll just do something relaxing, but be specific: “going on a day hike this Sunday”, “working on a Lego model Wednesday 6pm-10pm”, “going to the pool each Saturday 9am” are better ways to take care of yourself than “I’ll go outside soon”.

Autumn and winter are coming, bringing lots of night-time available to engage with hobbies, make plans and potentially spend time with yourself, with friends or family. Make use of it, don’t miss out!