2020 has been a year to remember for sure. We have learned new things about the world and ourselves through the ups and downs. Quarantine for some has been hard and has caused a lack of motivation for self-care and some of that has trickled into 2021. We understand. But it's no excuse to neglect yourself!
Falling into a habit for a lack of self-care may make it more difficult to get back into it once things get back to normal, whatever that is. Taking the time for self-care may be more important now more than ever.
Be Healthy
Food is pretty great but sometimes we got to watch what we eat, especially as we get older and we don’t have the metabolism we used to. Cutting out and limiting the junk food in your life can help you just generally feel good and feel good about yourself. Also, drink water. I know water is pretty boring but it is good for you and your body needs it.
Something one could do is find time to exercise, it doesn’t have to be anything crazy or hard. It can be just as simple as taking a walk around the neighborhood or doing some yoga. Doing something as simple as walking around the neighborhood can give one a sense of accomplishment because they are taking time to get out and be/feel active.
Setting a good sleep schedule can also help you feel good. Try going to bed a little early, like before midnight, and get up a little bit earlier so you can enjoy the morning. The average adult should get about 7-8.5 hours of sleep a night.
Find Some Alone Time and Disconnect
You should never feel selfish for needing some alone time. Do whatever makes you happy in your alone time like reading a good book, watching a show, or going out alone.
Technology plays such a big part in our day to day lives, and sometimes you should disconnect from social media, email, and texts and just enjoy what is around you and focus on yourself. Don’t through away your phone, but just turn it off or put it in another room for an hour or two.
Be Grateful
It’s hard, especially this year, to be grateful for things and situations in our life. Take time often to either write down or just think about things you are grateful for. Being grateful isn’t a Thanksgiving thing, it is an every day all year thing.
Make Goals
To make self-care a constant in your life you are going to need to set goals for yourself and stick to those goals. But along with self-care goals, you should just set general life goals to help you have something to work towards. Having long term goals and short term goals can help you organize your time to figure out what is most important in your life.
2021 is right around the corner and you may want to consider setting your new year goal to be focusing on your self-care. Practicing good self-care practices will help you get the most out of 2021 and the rest of your life.