For all the talk we hear about self-care, its always one of the first things that gets forgotten when shit hits the fan. 

When we feel overwhelmed, we are tapping into the sympathetic nervous system (the part of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for the fight/flight/freeze response). That means when we are stressed we are, physiologically speaking, in survival mode. 

Although self-care is not the only answer to a happy healthy life, it’s an important puzzle piece.

Use these 10 Tips to help prioritize self-care, even on your most hectic days.

1. Get enough sleep. Sleep is usually one of the first health things we sacrifice when we feel like we need more time for something. Time and time again studies have shown that consistently getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night is necessary for overall health. 

2. Don’t skip meals. Food is fuel for your body and mind. If we dont give our body the fuel it needs, how can we expect our body and mind to function at its best?

3. Keep your space clean. There is a saying my colleagues and I use, “As within, so without”. This means your environment impacts your wellbeing and vice versa. Although it does not need to be spotless, taking time to pick up and organize your space is great self-care

4. Say no when you need to. Whether it’s saying no to a favor someone asked or to going out, sometimes we need to say no. So often with people pleasers there is a struggle to say no. Then they become overloaded and overwhelmed and start sacrificing our wellbeing. “But Victoria, what if I really want to do it in the moment but then later I realize that I have too much to do?” Thats when you need to be very honest about the mistake you made in overbooking yourself. And if this happens a lot, I would recommend getting a planner and having it at all times. 

5. Saying yes when you need to. “But Victoria you just said to say no, make up your mind!” I get it but let me explain. Burnout and depression will tell you to stay. Stay in bed. Stay in the house/apartment. Stay in your pajamas. Stay on the couch watching TV. Then afterwards you feel like shit because “I haven’t done anything all day.” And there is nothing wrong with doing nothing all day! But when our minds start telling us “I don’t want to go out, I want to stay in and be alone” and then at the end of the day we still feel bad and lonely, that's when we need to start doing something different (like saying yes to those invites). 

6. Find the small things that make you happy and do them. I love drinking from wine glasses. A few years ago it was champagne flutes and coupes. And this summer, I plan to switch to fancy cocktail glasses. Keep in mind I am only drinking water, iced coffee, or lemonade if I’m feeling extra fancy. But drinking from pretty glasses makes me feel good. Find those small things that make you happy and start incorporating them into your day to day life. 

7. Appreciate the skin you're in. Your body works hard to do all the things it needs to do to keep you alive and moving. Show your body some love in a way that is meaningful to you. Whether it’s having a nice skincare routine, going to the gym, or even masturbating everyday. It’s important to appreciate the skin you’re in. 

8. Remember that you are not the only person that has done bad or wrong a thing. One of the best things I ever heard someone say was “There have been millions and billions and billions and gazillions of people that have lived before all of us. There is no new problem that you could have–with your parents, with school, with a bully, with anything–there is no problem you could have that someone else hasn’t already solved, and wrote about it in a book.” That person was Will Smith in his 2005 Kids Choice Awards Speech (say what you want about the guy, I’m only talking about this speech). And although I didn’t take it exactly the way he meant it in his speech, it made me realize that there is nothing I can face or fuck up so badly that no one else has ever done it. Remember that next time you find your mind spiraling with all the things you fucked up, all the things you have to get done and don’t know how, or questioning how you can get through something. 

9. Stay off negative social media. It’s so easy to hop on instagram, Facebook, and TikTok and scroll for hours, consuming content. But what kind of content are you consuming? Algorithms focus on keeping you engaged, and negatively is great fuel to get someone riled up and keep them engaged. Before you know it you’re feeling all kinds of emotions that dont even belong to you. But what would happen if your algorithm only showed you videos of cute animals? Or of sunrises? Or of nature? Chances are your mood would be a lot lighter. You would also probably feel less of a need to be on social media. 

10. Relax your muscles. How often do you check in with your body throughout the day? Chances are not very often, if ever. If you’re in a constant state of stress and overwhelm, without even knowing it, your muscles will begin to tense up and hold that tension until it’s released at the end of the day. This can leave you feeling exhausted and quite possibly sore. Relax your muscles, take deep breaths, and allow your body to be present in the moment rather than bracing for the next one. 

Remember, self care is a practice. That means we have to choose to do it everyday. 

This blog was originally published on 10/07/2024. © (Victoria Prather, LLC)  2024- present