Written by: Jessica Forehand, LPC-C and Erin Jackson, LPC-C
We are now finding ourselves months into a worldwide health crisis and by now you have probably read or seen something about the importance of self-care. You may wonder: what is self-care exactly? Self-care is the practice of making time to take care of yourself.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It should be, but in the daily grind of everyday life, sometimes taking care of ourselves takes a back seat to everything else we have to do. Between jobs, kids, school, and of course surviving a pandemic, it can be very easy to neglect our own needs. For one thing, where do we find the time? It can sometimes feel very selfish to make time for ourselves while juggling everything else that needs to be done.
Thankfully, self-care does not have to take up a lot of time. Even small, simple things can greatly impact your health and well-being and that is good news for a busy person like you!
Below are five quick and easy self-care tips to implement into your daily routine:
1. Stay active: As little as thirty minutes of exercise a day can boost your mood and sense of well-being. Try taking a 15-minute walk or doing these fun stretches at your desk:
2. Drink enough water: Studies have shown that even mild dehydration can negatively impact mood, energy level, and cognitive ability. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Stay hydrated by keeping a bottle of water close by.
3. Get some sunshine: It’s a great source of vitamin D. It has been found that vitamin D deficiency could play a role in depression and other mental disorders. Try to go outside for a few minutes every day – not only will you soak up vitamin D, you can also get some exercise while you’re at it.
4. Laugh: Sounds funny but laughter is a good way to ease stress. Interestingly enough a study has found that laughter positively affects the immune system and mental health. Take a little time to be intentional about laughter, whether you watch some funny videos online or talk to a friend who never fails to amuse you.
5. Stay in community: Be sure that you’re connecting with others. Loneliness negatively affects both mental and physical health. Studies show that isolation and loneliness are linked to many dysfunctional immune responses and increased blood pressure, which can lead to many illnesses. Mentally and emotionally, humans need connection with others in order to thrive in life. We need each other.
It’s important to remember that you’re not just taking care of you for you, but for your loved ones as well. Your well-being impacts everyone around you. If you’d like to talk to a counselor about coping skills during this difficult time and even more self-care tips, feel free to contact us here at New Vision Counseling! We are here to help.
New Vision Counseling & Consulting: 11209 N May Ave Oklahoma City, OK 73120
Call us at 405-921-7776 and we will get you connected with an amazing therapist on the team!
Heading photo by Artem Kovalev on Unsplash