One secret to sticking to a successful self-care plan is to weave it into your daily routine. While taking a few days here and there is also a wonderful way to practice self-care, you are more likely to be successful and experience more benefits by practicing it daily.
It is easier to get started if you add them slowly and do not expect perfection from day one. Proper self-care is a lifestyle, and it is about taking care of yourself. If you don�t do it daily, you miss important resources and information to live the life you desire.
The following are five tips to adding daily self-care to your routine for optimal health and happiness:
Start With a Personal To-Do List
Always start your day off with a small action plan. This way, you are more likely to get up and tackle the things that need to get done with clarity and positivity. To-do lists should be specific, clear, and obtainable. Be sure they are scannable and not overcrowded with too much detail. Be reasonable and realistic to your abilities and current feelings, and don�t expect to get it all done in one day.
Practice Positivity and Mindfulness
Work on feeling and presenting a more positive mood. This is about seeing the good before you assume the worse in order to promote mental clarity and less stress. In addition, focusing on what you don�t have and it�s bad side makes you more likely to make mistakes out of frustration or other negative feelings.
Track Your Hydration and Nutrition
Drink fresh, filtered water with a squeeze of lemon juice as soon as you wake up and use food as fuel to power through your day. Use cell phone applications or other techniques to keep track of your intake to ensure you have what you need throughout your day. Don�t expect yourself to remember. Just make it easy.
Make Movement a Priority
Physical activity, with the right movements for you, is vital to a long and prosperous life. Those who live more sedentary statically live shorter lives�incorporate movement in any activity you need to do.
Add in Your Favorite Hobbies
Be available for the things you love the most. Life is not just about working or paying bills. It�s about finding those things or people that make you feel whole, fulfilling, accomplished and happy. The more you add items into your life that you love, the more natural self-care will become.
This list is a great resource to get you started on implementing daily self-care. Remember, don�t expect perfection or to add all of these to your routine on day one. Instead, start with the one that makes the most sense to who you are as an individual. Self-care is not about pretending to be someone you are not. It is enhancing your current self and abilities to be a healthier and happier you.