Making Time for Self-Care Without Breaking the Bank
Do you think you’re too busy to take time for self-care, or that you just don’t have the money to invest in your well-being?
By Guest Blogger, Jennifer McGregor.
Do you think you’re too busy to take time for self-care, or that you just don’t have the money to invest in your well-being? You don’t need to sign up for an exclusive gym membership or have weekly appointments at the spa in order to feel your best self. Here are five tips that will help you stay healthy both mentally and physically, no matter what life throws at you:
Eat Healthier
When you’re short on time and money, you may be tempted to opt for cheap fast food options or prepackaged meals for your lunch and dinner. But those are often laden with sodium and high in fat, sugar, and processed carbs. Eating too much of those can lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and a slew of other health issues. But buying fresh fruit, veggies, and lean protein doesn’t have to be too hard on your wallet or take too much of your time either. When going to the supermarket, shop the perimeter and only visit the center aisles for staples like legumes, rice, and cereal. Look for produce that is in season and grown locally: you’ll be taking care of yourself as well as giving back to your community.
Take Time to Exercise
Even when your days are packed with meetings to attend, spreadsheets to fill, and errands to run, make sure you fit some cardiovascular exercise into your daily or weekly routine. A sedentary lifestyle and too much time spent in front of a computer can take a toll on your body and lead to achy joints and chronic pain. So skip the car and walk or bike to work; take the stairs instead of the elevator; do some squats, wall sits and calf raises while you’re in the kitchen preparing a – healthy – meal; and do some planks and push-ups while you check messages on your phone, catch up on the news or listen to a podcast.
Get Enough Sunlight
Spending your day in a poorly-lit office is bound to leave you drained and fatigued. So make sure to spend at least a few minutes each day in the sunshine. Sun rays are natural mood enhancers, and they provide the vitamin D our body needs to boost our immune system. This is especially important in winter when people sometimes experience symptoms of seasonal affective disorder or SAD. If going outside even for a short while is impossible, consider buying a sunlamp or lightbox that will provide some of the same benefits as sunshine for your body and your mind.
Take Care of Your Mental Well-Being
Stress at school or at work can make it harder to concentrate, make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, and can leave you feeling anxious or depressed. So if you’re looking for emotional support during challenging times, think about finding a licensed therapist with whom you can talk things over. Even if you're short on time, providers now offer services over the internet, so you don’t have to travel to your next appointment to receive the benefits of therapy. When selecting the best online therapy, book a free 15-minute consultation to make sure you’ve found a great match.
Make Sleep a Priority
Sleep deprivation leads to many problems both for your mind and your body. Crankiness, memory issues, lack of focus, weight gain, chronic diseases, and even cancers have been linked to poor sleeping. So to keep your mind sharp and your body healthy, take time to develop a bedtime routine that will promote sound sleeping. Try to go to bed at the same time each night, stay away from heavy foods, caffeine, or alcohol right before you turn in, and turn off your electronic devices. If you have trouble falling asleep, try adding some white noise, a fan, or some soothing music to your bedtime routine.
Making self-care a priority will help keep you healthy both physically and mentally. And even small changes in your daily routine can lead to improved well-being. So don’t put off taking care of yourself any longer.
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