The New Year is here and the new page of the calendar is the perfect opportunity to begin including self-care in our daily routines!
Self-care, a practice intended to improve one’s health, well-being, and happiness, has become a hot topic over the last few years. Treating yourself to a self-care routine is an attainable goal that doesn’t have to be complicated, time-consuming, or expensive. Putting yourself first has numerous benefits and improves overall happiness and productivity.
If your resolution is to add self-care to your to-do list during 2020, here are 7 tips to help you be the best version of yourself in the New Year.
- Enjoy a healthy snack. Not sure how to start practicing self-care? One of the easiest ways to begin taking care of yourself and improving your health and wellness is to fuel your body with nutritious snacks and meals. Eating mindfully and incorporating healthy snacks into your day can be as simple as choosing fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins over sugary snacks.
- Get creative! If you’re feeling stuck in a rut or bored in your daily routines, try something new – or even pick up an old hobby. Creative activities such as writing and drawing have been proven to decrease your stress levels. Focusing on learning a new task or engaging your brain in a different way can be relaxing and fun.
- Book a massage. Massages benefit your mind as well as your body and are the perfect way to add self-care to your schedule in 2020. In addition to physical benefits such as pain relief, promoting circulation, lower blood pressure, and boosted immunity, massages are proven to decrease stress and anxiety. Massage therapy can also be personalized to suit your individual needs – whether you need additional pressure to loosen tight muscles or aromatherapy to make your experience even more relaxing.
- Take time to be grateful. Practicing gratitude is a simple way to begin to shift any negative mindset into a positive attitude. In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, taking time to pause and reflect on the things you’re grateful for can rewire your brain to seek out the positive in every situation instead of dwelling on the negative. Begin by taking several moments at the start of your day to list out five things in your life you’re grateful for. As you continue your practice, you may be surprised to find your list growing!
- Go outside. Taking a few minutes to get outside and take in fresh air and sunlight has many benefits, both physical and mental. A quick trip outdoors can lower both your stress levels and your heart rate! If inclement weather prevents you from stepping outside, try simply changing your environment. Go for a short walk around your office. Sometimes, simply taking a break from your routine can be enough to leave you feeling energized and refocused.
- Get moving. Adding exercise to your daily routine doesn’t necessarily require an expensive gym membership or cumbersome gym equipment. You can reap the benefits of exercise by start small by walking for 30 minutes three to four times per week. Increasing your heart rate, even for short periods of time, improves both your mood and your physical health.
- Catch some extra zzz’s. If you find that you are tired more frequently than not, it may be time to practice self-care by adding more sleep to your schedule. With our hectic schedules and busy lives, this component of self-care can be challenging, but like many other self-care practices, it’s easy to start small. Try to go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night, and if this is doable, perhaps try 30 minutes earlier. If your current bedtime works for you but you find that you’re not sleeping well, work on removing distractions from your bedroom or turning them off sooner. Put away laptops and tablets and turn off the television earlier to allow your body and mind a little more time to fall asleep.
Start Self Care Today and Book a Massage!
Self-care begins with setting an intention to add practices to your routine that will improve your health and wellness. Making healthier snack choices, adding exercise to your routine, and booking a massage with Graceful Touch Massage Therapy will have you on your way to feeling your best in 2020! We offer massage to fit every schedule and budget. Check out our massage services then message us online to book your massage today!