7 Tips on How to be Consistent with Self-care
For many of us, the biggest obstacle on our self-care journey is remaining consistent.
Life is busy. And despite our best intentions, sometimes caring for ourselves and listening to our needs ends up last on our priority list. But, once you fall down that hole, it's hard to find your way back out. The result: you end up neglecting yourself, and your well-being suffers.
We've been sold this idea that self-care means indulging in all-day pampering rituals, trips away, retail therapy, and more. But while these ideas are helpful and can be included as part of your self-care routine, if you have the means and the time, they aren't at all necessary. And it's challenging to pull these activities off on a regular basis which makes maintaining consistency difficult.
If you've been putting yourself on the back burner because you don't have time for elaborate self-care practices, it's time to place the focus back on you. This post will give you practical tips on incorporating daily self-care practices into your life so you can be more consistent with your routine.
Defining self-care
True self-care is how we tend to ourselves regardless of what's going on in our lives, especially how we care for ourselves during our lowest moments. We are more inclined to be down on ourselves during these times, so how we navigate that journey is fundamental to our healing and overall well-being.
So, what does real self-care look like?
For starters, we need to reject the notion that self-care is a quick fix. It's not a bandaid to be used when things are already out of hand. We need to understand that real self-care is an ongoing relationship we have with ourselves. That means engaging in practices that maintain our mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health on a daily basis. It's about reconnecting to our internal selves and finding what brings us peace, joy, and fulfillment every day.
When self-care becomes a regular part of your life, you're more likely to stay consistent and reap the benefits of that consistency. Here are a few tips to start you on your way.
7 tips on how to be consistent with your self-care
Do what works for you
Self-care is personal and unique to you and your needs. You don't have to follow trends or do what anyone else is doing. It's okay if your self-care practice looks different. All that matters is that it works for you.
Check-in with yourself regularly to identify what you need. Consider your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs to find where it is most needed. But don't feel obligated to do it all at once. Your self-care practice can change on a day-to-day basis. Maybe you need to honour your physical self one day and feel the need to move your body or have a nap. Or perhaps the next day, you feel the need to focus on your spiritual health, and you'd like to incorporate more prayer or rituals. There's no right or wrong answer.
Once you've identified those needs, incorporate a few practices into your routine.
Set intentions for your self-care
There is science behind intention setting. When you set an intention, you send a powerful message to yourself, your body, and the universe about who you want to be and how you want to live.
Setting intentions is an essential element of a committed self-care routine. Because, as we know, life happens, and things can get off track easily and quickly. Writing out your self-care intentions will help you stay accountable.
Start by writing out five reasons self-care is important for you right now and why you're making this commitment. When you're feeling unmotivated, you can turn to what you wrote and remind yourself why self-care is necessary for your well-being.
Weave it into an existing activity
Self-care should never be viewed as a chore or a burden. If you’re worried about fitting it into your schedule or dread doing it, it's time to re-evaluate.
Instead of complicated or long self-care sessions, opt for small mini sessions that can easily fit into your daily life. The best way to do that is to weave it into something you are already doing. It doesn't have to take long.
Aim for a few minutes out of your day to do something that makes you feel better and addresses your needs. It can be as simple as taking 5-15 minutes a day to pause. Here are some other self-care ideas that you may want to try.
· Take a couple of deep breaths before you get out of bed in the morning
· Recite daily affirmations before you begin your day
· Take a short walk outside during your lunch break
· Read a book or a magazine
· Practice mindfulness
· Listen to a podcast
· Talk to a friend
· Dance like nobody's watching
There are many quick and simple self-care ideas that you can easily incorporate into your day. The key is to find what's best for you.
Address feelings around guilt
We tend to feel guilty when we take time for ourselves. And those guilty feelings can sabotage your best intentions. It can feel like you're taking away time from others or ignoring their needs altogether. While none of that is true, those feelings can be hard to shake.
If you find you can't get past your guilty feelings, it may be worth seeing someone about it. Reach out to a mental health professional or, if that's not possible, talk these feelings through with someone you trust.
It's essential to tackle this issue head-on, so you can stay focused on your self-care. Because self-care is not selfish.
Daily cues
Daily cues are reminders of your reasons "why." They act as motivators in your environment to remind you to take continued action. They will help you stay focused.
Try using these daily cues to schedule time for yourself and remind you of your motivations:
· An alarm on your phone
· Sticky notes
· Vision boards
· Gratitude stones
· Screensaver on your computer or phone
· Calendar or diary entry
You can also check out self-care apps. They offer an easy way to keep self-care top of mind and at the tip of your fingers.
You don't have to do it on your own
Yes, it's called self-care, but you don't have to go it alone. Invite a friend (or two). There is strength in numbers, and if you find you've been struggling with self-care and consistency, having a friend join you may be just what you need.
Group self-care activities are a great way to bond with friends or family and improve your mood. Coordinate an activity that you can do together, such as walking, hiking, yoga, etc.
Reset when necessary
As we move through different times in our lives, we may find what fits before no longer works. Don't feel bad. You don't have to stick to a self-care routine that no longer serves you. That defeats the purpose. Don't be afraid to switch things up and try something new.
You may start off with one self-care practice, and maybe three or six months down the road, you may need to switch it up. That's okay. Allow yourself to do that as often as necessary.
BONUS TIP: Be kind to yourself
Above all else, be kind to yourself. Self-care doesn't have to look or be perfect, and you don't need to compare yourself to others. It's okay if your self-care practice is different. Remember, you're not doing it wrong if it works for you.
Self-care doesn't have to be elaborate, costly, or time-consuming. That we care for ourselves regularly is what’s most important. That means attending to your whole self by incorporating practices that address your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional needs as they arise. In this post, we’ve talked about some of the different ways you can stay consistent with a self-care routine that helps you reconnect, recharge, and refocus. Which one will you try first?
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