The ultimate self-care ritual
In our busy world, it’s more important than ever to spend some time just for you.
Giving yourself the time to relax and unwind is essential for good mental and physical health. Here’s a closer look at some of the things to consider when organising your own self-care ritual.
Get enough sleep
Whether you function best on a solid eight hours sleep or do just fine on six, work out how much sleep you need and prioritise it.
A lack of sleep can have dramatic and damaging effects on our health and productivity. Set an alarm clock to remind you of your bedtime and be as regular about it as you can be.
If you need to wind down before going to sleep, factor that into your self-care ritual. It’s a good idea to limit screen time for an hour or so before you intend to head to bed. You could also try putting on some relaxing music, taking a warm bath and spending a short period stretching or practising mindfulness, with a calming candle to scent your space. Lavender is known to promote relaxation and is a soothing, gentle fragrance perfect to help you drift off.
Dress well
Since the Covid pandemic, many people have fallen into bad habits with their personal presentation. Caring about what you wear doesn’t just have to be reserved for days when you have big meetings or big events – instead, add a little bit of good grooming into the everyday.
Each day, be sure to get dressed properly – even if you have nowhere to go. On rare occasions, it’s fun to spend the day in pyjamas. But if you make a habit of it, then that will only leave you feeling depressed and unkempt.
Get some exercise
Exercise is a vital component of good health, so whether you’re an avid walker or prefer swimming, cycling or a more offbeat hobby, be sure to incorporate a workout into your routine.
This will leave you feeling energised and ready to take on whatever challenges life brings your way, as well as improving your physical health.
If you’re not a fan of the gym, there’s no need to worry – with so many options out there to choose from, you’re sure to find something that’ll suit your personality and interests.
Feed your mind
We are all impacted by the things we absorb from the media we consume. With so many distractions, we can easily be sent off track and find our mood impacted by events outside of our control, and the opinions of people we don’t know.
Consciously consume books, TV, movies and more that make you feel more positive about the world around you and your place in it. This doesn’t mean becoming apathetic, but it will make you feel better and more capable of finding real solutions to your problems.