Five Self-Care Habits I've Been Enjoying Lately

I once went to a conference session about self-care and preventing burn-out (a huge percent of people in my field leave within five yea...




I once went to a conference session about self-care and preventing burn-out (a huge percent of people in my field leave within five years of entering it). One of the things that really stuck with me from that session is that self-care is a regular occurrence. It's not getting a massage once every five years. It doesn't have to cost money. And ultimately, self care is different for every single person. And it can change over time to become whatever you need it to be.

I advocate for self-care a lot. Like, a lot a lot. It's the number one priority I stress when I chat with students. One of my favorite lines is something like "If you're not okay, you're not going to do okay in your courses." And I mean it. That doesn't mean we have to be happy all the time, or even pretend to be happy all the time. But it means, we have to try to listen to ourselves and go through some trial and error to attempt to take care of ourselves.

Here are five things that I've been doing lately to try and do just that. Again, I'm not perfect at it. I'm still moody and sad and happy and a whole combination of feelings, but I'm working on it.









Reading

Reading is my escape. Seriously. It's corny and cliche, but I mean it! It gives me time to relax, get comfy, and get away from real-life worries (usually). I'm very anxious, and when my mind isn't focused on something, it wanders to deep, dark crevices that make me moody and down. I've got a routine of times to read and those times are important to me.



Listening to Audiobooks 

I've always been kind of anti-audiobook. I lost 90% of my hearing when I was younger, and while tubes in my ears helped me gain some of that back, I still have a really difficult time hearing at times. So I worry that if I listen to an audiobook, I'm going to miss integral pieces of the story. But I noticed that listening to music on my way to work, I was having a lot of episodes of panic - I could literal feel it wash over my body like someone cracked an egg on my head, and it was terrifying. So I downloaded an app that works with my library and I can check out audiobooks for free. What I've been doing though, is only listening to audiobooks that I've already physically read. Lately I've been going through the Harry Potter series. It's the newest way for me to experience the stories I love so much, and it's been helping me find focus while I drive.



Closing My Office Door 

Okay, maybe this makes me sound like a jerk, but I've worked places before where I was required to always have my door open, and this has helped me so much during the work day. I know this isn't an option for everyone, but I've created quite a mood in the space that I spend so much time in. I typically keep my overhead fluorescent lights turned off with two lamps on as replacements, my door closed (yet unlocked), and some lofi music on. Folks can knock to come in if they need me, but it rids me off distractions and gives me space to breathe. It's been really beneficial these past two months.



Face Masks

Hi, this is corny, but I love a face mask and I do them regularly (alongside hair masks). Face masks are one of those things that just give me space to breathe - it means I'm not leaving the house for a bit, makes my skin feel great, and is just another opportunity to read. I particularly love a peel-off mask. I love the feel of it drying and getting tight on my skin. Then just actually peeling it off - it's seriously the best.



Taking Baths

 I truly take a bath at least twice a week (and let me just say I hate our miniature bathtub and would really like a garden tub, thanks). There's something about just relaxing in burning water that literally makes my entire body and being feel good. I also usually lay in there while reading, so it's a little slice of heaven that I couldn't go without.






How do you find time for yourself? What ways do you exhibit self-care?




 


 









This post is in collaboration with the #LoveBlog2020 link-up. Today's post is co-hosted by Brita from Belle Brita, Laura from Do Five Things a Day, and myself. Please visit my co-hosts and link-up below. You can find the prompts for the entire month here.




Find Brita here: Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin'

Brita Long is the pink and sparkly personality behind the Christian feminist lifestyle blog, Belle Brita. On her blog and social media, you'll discover more than authentic storytelling--she's brutally honest about pursuing a fulfilling and joyful life even with Crohn's Disease and depression.





Find Laura here: Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Bloglovin'

Laura is a part-time artist hoping to go full time some day. She has a little black bucket list book filled with adventures. She writes with the hope to inspire. She's known to be quite the workaholic sometimes. She's an INTJ- A and she believes a cup of hot tea can solve almost anything. She embraces perseverance. She's spent a lot of time emerged in self-discovery practices over the last several years, and finds she is still learning as she goes. She is here in the blogging world because she believes the buzz about self-care, wellness, and self-love needs to be heard. You can also find her writing over at blogfivebiz.com chatting about blogging and business stuff.





Join the link-up! 

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10 comments

  1. I definitely love reading as well! So relaxing and enriching to dive into another world. What book are you currently reading?

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    1. I just finished Such a Fun Age and I'm starting Real Life by Adeline Dieudonne.

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  2. I try to read a little every night before bed. Also, before going up to bed, I try to make a to-do list for the next day. It's a bit of a brain dump. That, plus the book, help me SO much with my anxiety. It's not always a perfect solution, and sometimes I still take anti-anxiety meds before bed (like last week when I got upsetting family news), but my sleep is definitely better overall for these two simple practices.

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    1. That's smart, because I usually fall asleep making to-do lists in my head!

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  3. This is such a great list of habits. I love that you can close your office door. Creating a comfortable and relaxing space is so important!

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    Replies
    1. Closing my office door has become so beneficial to me. It's made a world of difference.

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  4. Reading and face masks are among my favorites too!!

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    1. They're so simple, but make so much difference for me.

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  5. You are so right - self-care is on-going, consistent. I love your list, especially 'closing the office door'!

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    Replies
    1. Never underestimate how great closing your office door can be for your well-being!

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