The modern working woman has it all – everything but enough time. It can be difficult to take care of yourself with a busy schedule, but neglecting self-care can end up causing major problems down the road.
Self-care is about restoring your mind, body, and soul. It’s a very practical, yet personal act of intentionally nurturing yourself. Self-care is more than relaxation, it is a form of subtle sustenance that provides our heart and mind with much-needed support and strength.
Below are self-care habits for working women:
- Sleep well:
Elevated stress levels can lead to sleep deficiency. When you cannot clock night-time sleep, you invite a host of ills, stress, depression, and obesity. Sleep deficiency can cause a lack of on-job focus, hamper creativity, and invite depression. Fulfilling 7-8 hours of sleep a day is a natural part of your body’s repair system. Without adequate sleep, your body cannot ward off stress agents in your environment and that makes you more prone to ailments. So, try to get your daily share of sleep.
- Switch off your digital devices before bedtime:
We are nothing without technology. However, there is enough time for it during the day. Before your bedtime hours, shut your mobiles and electronic gadgets. The blue light of computers, televisions, and phones encourages wakefulness and makes a dent in required sleep hours. You can consider making a hot cup of chamomile tea for yourself and drinking it slowly and peacefully to avail yourself of its sleep-inducing properties. You can also read serious books and autobiographies when you are not feeling sleepy. It may stimulate sound sleep.
- Meditate for overall well-being:
Meditation is not just ten minutes of silence; meditation helps you tap into your intuition and listen to your inner call. Many celebrities and successful entrepreneurs worldwide credit meditation with opening their minds and making their daily routine more peaceful and problem-solving.
You can make a meditation corner in your home, or sit in your nearby park to spend a few minutes of the day meditating and concentrating on your practice. It will help you think better, increase your happiness and productivity and get you closer to God.
- Reduce caffeine consumption:
Caffeine overload is not healthy for your system. It adds to stress and anxiety and cuts your average sleep hours. The caffeine content in soft drinks, sports drinks, and chocolate is unhealthy for consumption as it increases body weight and is one of the primary reasons for obesity and diabetes. Green tea is a healthier alternative to milk-based tea. It helps you in your weight management goals.
- Just Sit:
Sitting quietly for a few minutes each day is good for you on its own, and can be especially helpful in managing stress. Whether it’s spent listening to your breath, or to a recorded guide, meditation trains your brain to calm itself, which can help to turn down all the chatter in your mind about that argument from earlier in the day, or all the things you have to do tomorrow.
- Wind Down:
Your body thrives on routine and giving it regular habits and patterns lets your brain know what to expect next and prepare for it. If you start winding down at the same time each night, after a few days you’ll start feeling sleepy and ready for pajamas, a book, and a cup of tea without even looking at the clock.
- Cut down on the Alcohol:
You may be tempted when feeling stressed to unwind with a couple of drinks at the end of the day. While this may help you to feel more relaxed and sleepy, as your body processes the alcohol, it causes your system to warm up, disrupting the natural cooling down of your body at night and can wake you up.
- Walk Away:
It is advisable to get up and step away from your desk at least once a day. It hardly matters what you do, just so long as you give yourself a few minutes break. Go get a cup of coffee or a glass of water. Stretch your arms over your head. Take a walk to pop in and say hello to your work BFF. Go stand in the parking lot for a minute and get some sun. Whatever you do, just take at least a minute away from your desk to check in with yourself