The self-care conundrum: How to create time and space for yourself amidst life’s demands
Is self-care important?
First, what is self-care?
It’s a bit of a buzzword these days, which dilutes the importance of the concept behind it.
Arguably, self-care is anything that supports being the healthiest and happiest version of ourselves.
Depending on interests and needs, self-care could look like:
Quality alone time
Pampering services
Therapy
Exercise
Delicious meals
Reflection exercises:
Journaling
Card readings
Quality time with friends and family
These are all activities that restore us and encourage personal growth. It’s likely you’re already incorporating self-care into your life, just calling it by a different name.
It’s human nature to strive for more and better. As a species, we’ve always been philosophers and scientists attempting to understand the universe, how we fit into it, and how to be the best version of ourselves amidst it all.
It’s up to you to decide how you want to take care of yourself… however, with any of these options, one thing is necessary: time.
We are encouraged to fill every moment of our days with productivity or distractions in our modern times. Our lives are busy! It’s easy to push taking care of ourselves to the bottom of our to-do lists when other priorities are vying for our attention.
Self-care versus self-indulgence
It doesn’t help that self-care has become a multi-billion dollar industry, with an emphasis on consumption to ease our stressed minds and bodies. Nearly every sector uses self-care as a marketing message.
It encourages us to confuse self-indulgence with self-care.
Self-indulgence is passive, whereas self-care is proactive.
The key to incorporating self-care into our lives is intentionality. It should benefit our health and minds and offer a sustainable respite from the world’s chaos.
Self-indulgence is often a short-term fix without considering our larger goals. For example, it’s one thing to take an intentional break from your daily routine to catch up on a favorite TV show and mentally check out for a couple of hours. Yet, if it turns into the one activity you repeatedly turn to in order to cope with life’s stressors, it is no longer serving you.
There’s a fine line between self-care and self-indulgence. The core difference is the consideration of whether the activity benefits us vs. numbs us.
So, how do we incorporate self-care into our lives?
Budgeting time and resources to benefit our minds and bodies are paramount to a sustainable self-care routine.
First, identify what helps you feel better and operate as your best self. Notice, this isn’t a call to identify what brings you immediate gratification. Focus on what positively impacts your mental and physical health beyond the moment.
For me, daily stretching and an afternoon walk to my favorite coffee shop with a friend or my partner encourage balance in my life and are habits that benefit my overall being.
Next, realistically identify the time you can dedicate to your self-care practice.
It doesn’t need to be a significant amount of time. Start with ten minutes a day.
For example, I spend 5-10 minutes stretching in the morning, and 10-15 minutes stretching before bed.
Consider your current routine and identify areas where you can incorporate self-care. Plan ahead! Intentionality leads to sustainability.
If you’re a part of a family unit, speak with your partner about creating time and space for each of you to benefit from self-care. When folks feel healthy and happy, life’s challenges become a bit easier to navigate.
How do you practice self-care?
If you’re seeking an opportunity to decompress, rejuvenate and build habits that you can incorporate into daily life, check out Harvest Retreats.
