As we move into the final stretch of 2021, don’t overlook the importance of self-care and the beauty of taking a moment for yourself to just enjoy the silence. It is quite easy to get caught up in the feeling of needing to jump at a moment’s notice, running the hamster wheel of a 9 – 5, and balancing everything else we have on our plates. It’s time for the career driven professionals, and budding entrepreneurs out there to reflect on how much time in the day is truly spent on me time.
Everyone needs a break now and then to dream, to reflect, to take care.
Let’s remember to fight back and prevent potential burnout. Challenge yourself to incorporate these empowering practices into your busy schedule and prioritize your well-being plus recharge.
#1 Set Boundaries
As a young professional it can be easy to become too wrapped up in work matters. It’s important that you start setting some boundaries for yourself. Remember you can only get so much done at once.
To start, set reasonable expectations for yourself, and create a doable check list of priorities to accomplish for the day.
Once you’ve got that in place you can work in sprints to accomplish the tasks at hand. Using tools like a pomodoro timer can help you divide and conquer work in set periods of time. You can even check out time management tips to get the most out of one hour. No matter how you decide to tackle your priorities, stick to working only within your set hours. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself working well past clocking out time.
In order to help out, set up a dedicated work space to prevent yourself from going outside your working hours. Even if you live in a studio, you can pick yourself up an apartment size desk, put it in a corner, and separate it off from your living space with a cute curtain. This way you can mentally separate yourself from your career at the end of the day.
Creating the separation of work from home is key for prioritizing your mental health.
#2 Reflect Inward
Embracing mindfulness and reflecting inward is a great way to practice gratitude and stay positive. Think about all the great things you have in your life and what there is to be thankful for. Channeling positive energy will keep you in good spirits and prevent you from getting sucked into the negativity. However, it is healthy to think about your current position in life by asking some questions to keep yourself in check and on track. Frame your thoughts and focus on these questions.
- Where are you now?
- What is important to you?
- What do you want out of life?
- What do you aspire to accomplish?
Such questions will help you to not only realize how far you have come, but help you approach your goals in a way that is not overwhelming. Keep your dreams in mind, and check in with yourself on a monthly basis to see where you are at. However, don’t forget to keep practicing gratitude on a regular basis. You can try daily journaling or meditating to help you organize your thoughts and decompress.
#3 Take Care of Yourself and Unwind
Taking care of your body and prioritizing your health is essential to self-care. You don’t want to run yourself ragged when managing your career. It can be tempting to pull an all-nighter or not get up from your desk. Resist the temptation.
You need adequate rest and a healthy balance of exercise.
Strive for at least nine hours of sleep a night, and at least try to move your body and exercise each day. You can get active through a variety of activities, even if the gym is not your thing. Consider zumba, yoga, and group cardio for instance. Whatever you choose, staying active can really boost your mood. Beyond adequate sleep and exercise, finding ways to work in additional relaxing self-care activities can be extremely beneficial.
One self-care practice to better take care of your body, is to take a look at your beauty and skin-care regimen. May we not only find such a beauty regimen relaxing, but it can have a positive impact on our health as well. Whether you like to get a facial, or enjoy pampering yourself to unwind at the end of the day, pay special attention to your skin health. Nowadays you are probably finding that you are wearing your mask for many hours of the day, from work, to the store, and everywhere in-between. Such continuous use can create a moist environment, which can cause some skincare concerns (especially now that we’re all in masks). In order to prevent dry skin, and clogged pores, try layering in some go to prescription skin-care products. Nourishing your skin with a cleanser, or moisturizer can help keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Also, don’t forget to wash your face regularly, and remove your makeup at the end of the day.
#4 Plan Ahead
Some of the most successful women entrepreneurs out there fall back on the philosophy of always being prepared or planning ahead.
Getting your things ready by anticipating what needs to be done for the week ahead can help you feel relaxed and confident.
You all know what it feels like to rush around the last minute because you put something off. It sure does provoke a lot of unwanted and unneeded stress and anxiety. Therefore, one way to help you feel relaxed and prepared, is to lay out what you need for the next day in front of you the night before. Get your bag ready for tomorrow, and plan out your looks for the week. With so many choices, it may even be helpful to get some outfit inspo, when putting together your wardrobe.
#5 Be Your Own Cheerleader
As a career driven professional, you probably have some pretty high expectations for yourself, and may have the tendency to be self-critical. However, in order to succeed you must believe in yourself, your abilities, and be able to bring out the inner confidence you have within. Acknowledge just how far you have come and everything you have accomplished. Remember it is not just luck or coincidence that got you that promotion or the fact that you had a lot of interest in your blog, or store this month. Rather the hard work and dedication you put in sure pays off.
Never neglect to celebrate your wins whether they’re big or small.
Be your own cheerleader, be kind to yourself, and treat yourself for your hard work. Reward your hard work with a spa day, treat yourself to your favorite restaurant, or buy the new blazer you pinned on your Pinterest board.
#6 Talk It Out
We’ve all got a lot on our plates. From your business to your personal life, there is a lot to balance. Sometimes it can make all the difference just to talk and sort out your thoughts. Don’t bottle up everything inside, it can relieve some pressure by sharing your concerns or goals with others. Finding a mentor or a life coach can be an amazing opportunity to help you grow interpersonally and professionally. Being able to connect with someone who can hear you out and give you a pep talk can help foster your confidence and communication skills. Also, don’t forget to network!
Connect with your fellow young professionals and get involved in your community.
You never know what great workshop you can happen across, or projects you can become involved in through growing your network.
Never forget to invest in yourself. From pouring all your time and energy into your blog, career, side hustle, and beyond, always remember to save some love and space for you too. We’ve all been there. Sometimes it’s hard to just unplug that laptop, stop scrolling, and put away unfinished work for the day. Time truly is precious, a precious commodity indeed. Time always seems to be fleeting, moments slip from our grasp, but don’t allow those much-needed moments for you to be put on the back burner. It’s time to be empowered by self care.
Written by Sara Rogers, published by Day in my Dreams