Anxiety, stress, and depression are all part of life in 2020, while we navigate the ins and outs of a pandemic. Many are dealing with how to remain employed how to monitoring our children’s remote schoolwork at the same time.
It’s easy to forget to take some time for ourselves, no matter how small that window may be. September is National Self-Care Awareness Month, and an opportunity to reinvest in ourselves.
What is Self-Care, and Why is National Self-Care Awareness Month Important?
Self-care is simply the discipline to remember to do things that are good for us. It involves taking care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. While it may be a simple concept, it’s something that many tend to overlook during stressful times. National Self-Care Awareness Month is a reminder to take the time to do something that refuels us.
There are many activities that fall into this category:
- Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet
- Getting enough sleep
- Reading
- Journaling
- Meditating
- Exercise
- Any hobbies that you may have
- Connecting with friends and loved ones
- Any activity that may help you relax and unwind
- Finding humor
This is an incomplete list of examples of self-care. But the important thing is that it has to be something that leaves you feeling better. You may have habits that need to be broken of activities that leave you drained. And some of the above activities taken to excess may no longer leave you feeling refueled.
This is where it’s important to know yourself and understand your needs in any given moment.
Take A Closer Look at Your Schedule
We’re all feeling stressed, especially during a pandemic. But National Self-Care Awareness Month is a reminder to take a look at our schedules and see if there are small windows that we can take advantage of. Maybe it’s as simple as waking up a half-hour earlier, so that you can meditate before work. Or maybe it’s picking up the phone to call a friend or a loved one.
Whatever the case may be, make sure that you are remembering to care for yourself during these stressful times.
