How often do you think about self-care?

For some, the term is a trigger, bringing to mind obnoxious influencers who sell expensive products that are supposed to change your life. Or maybe you know individuals who use self-care as an excuse to be lazy.

I used to be right there with you. I thought the term was a sort of platitude, thrown around by people who enjoyed making things all about themselves. Until I realized that my internal state was actually pretty chaotic, took a step back to evaluate, and discovered that self-care was something I could benefit from. Something I’d been missing. I also realized that it looks different for everyone, and that I don’t need to do exactly what someone else does.

The term need not be convoluted. Put simply, self-care is just the proper care of oneself. It doesn’t require an extensive hour-long routine or breaking the bank trying to find the most effective tools. Its goal is to help you live your best life by caring for yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Figuring out how to care for yourself can be difficult, especially with all of life’s other responsibilities. Sometimes it can feel like, between juggling a job, a family, and relationships, there’s no time for you. Life is just too chaotic to make time for yourself, right?

What if I told you that you can do it all? Work a job, take care of a family, spend time with friends and/or a significant other, and still make time to take care of yourself. I want to help you build a self-care routine that supports your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, while aligning with your goals, time constraints, and energy levels. If that’s something that interests you, then read on.

This word can be intimidating for some people, but it doesn’t have to be. Incorporating some form of exercise into your day is a great place to start forming a self-care routine.

Whether it’s taking a walk outside to get out of the house, spending twenty minutes on a cardio machine to build stamina, or lifting weights to strengthen yourself, exercise will not only improve your physical state, but it’ll also leave you feeling more satisfied and accomplished each day. It’s a great outlet for emotions and an effective way to clear your head.

Eating properly is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. While food primarily nourishes your body, we can all agree that we have on more than a few occasions, appeased our “hanger” with a solid meal. Not only do we need the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in a balanced meal to survive, but we also vastly improve our health when we consume the proper minerals and vitamins.

Eating healthy food and avoiding overly processed and bioengineered ingredients can have many noticeable effects like clearer skin, fewer digestive problems, and decreased inflammation. Foods containing essential fatty acids, vitamins K and B, and certain minerals (for example, salmon, nuts, seeds, eggs, and fruits and vegetables) benefit brain health and function. It’s important not only to eat healthy food, but to eat the right balance of food groups. Making a little extra time each day to prepare food that’s good for you and consume the number of meals needed to nourish yourself will make a significant difference in your life. If you start with something small, like selecting nuts or an apple instead of a junky snack, you’ll be on a great track to make a change.

At its core, mindfulness is focusing on the now-on your present situation, and reflecting on your thoughts and feelings without judgment. One who lives in a state of mindfulness doesn’t stress over the future or spend time regretting the past but instead roots themself firmly in the present. Since its practice allows you to let go of the past and anxiety about the future and get in tune with your emotions so they don’t overwhelm you, mindfulness is an important part of a self-care routine.

To incorporate mindfulness into your day, spend just ten minutes in a quiet room to evaluate how you feel and why. If you’ve found yourself in a bad mood or irritated by every little thing, ask yourself what you’re really upset about. Oftentimes, there is a bigger issue that you haven’t addressed, which will affect your day-to-day attitude. If you find peace and satisfaction in the present, it’ll be much easier to avoid dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

My final component for your self-care routine is something that we all need to survive yet can never seem to get enough of.

Rest.

By rest, I mean both sleep and time spent doing something restful, like reading a book or watching TV. Everyone has heard the standard “adults require 8–10 hours of sleep”, but how many actually know the importance of enough sleep? Sleeping not only renews your energy levels and refreshes your body but also gives your brain time to declutter and prepare for a fresh day. Since sleep is so vital, it should always be included in self-care.

Those who suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders may be feeling discouraged right now, but if you’re one of those people, there are still ways you can improve your sleep. Forming a routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time each morning will help your body fall into a more natural sleep cycle. Allotting time before bed to unwind and prepare your mind for sleep with something like reading or avoiding screens beforehand also helps you to settle down and fall asleep more easily.

The other kind of rest can be harder to come by. Sure, you may feel like you’ve had a nice break after binge-watching a TV show or playing a video game, but once you’re done, you’ll soon realize that it was only a momentary escape from reality, and all the chaos of everyday life will come crashing back in. True rest is found in the practice of things you enjoy. If you don’t have a hobby that brings you peace and joy, I encourage you to look for one and partake in it for as much time as you can spare each day. Whether drawing, singing, cycling, hiking, or even sitting on your porch, an activity you truly enjoy will leave you feeling happier and more at peace.

If you’re anything like me, you may have tried various routines before and found them difficult to stick to. Maybe you gave up after a week, or lasted months but eventually couldn’t keep up anymore.

The best advice I can give anyone struggling to be consistent is to take small steps. You could take just one of the four practices I have listed- fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and rest- and form a simple routine around that one thing. If this goes well for you, try eventually incorporating another practice, and so on until you’ve formed a routine that you’re happy with.

It’s important not to take on more than you can handle. There’s no shame in knowing your limits and starting small. If you can stick to just one thing for a month, you’ll feel so much prouder and more fulfilled than if you took on ten things but gave up on them within a week.

Lastly, remember that everyone is different. Find what works for you and have compassion with yourself when you encounter difficulties. Even if you don’t practice any of the specific things I discussed, any step toward taking better care of yourself is a step in the right direction. Emphasize progress over perfection and focus on forming habits rather than practicing self-care only when fleeting bursts of motivation hit you.

If you use these tips and start practicing self-care daily, you will notice improvement in how you act and feel. It will probably take time. But if you take the time to acknowledge your needs, form a routine and good habits, and stick to them, you’ll make a significant change in your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.