5 Self - Care Tips for Busy Modern Living…

Let’s face it, we all have lots on our plates.. growing numbers of working people balancing career’s with personal and family life.

It is easy to get overwhelmed and lose perspective with responsibilities, obligations and tasks. Sometimes, a busy schedule gets in the way of taking care of yourself, but letting that happen almost undoubtably makes managing stress worse.

Neglecting self care can have serious, negative consequences on your physical, mental and emotional health.

How to fix it?

It's time to get creative and take charge of scheduling some things for you, that might take less time than you think!

Don’t be afraid to ask for help…

Time is finite, so use it wisely.

You are not a failure, you are just working smarter.

Take advantage of the resources you have available to you…Delegate.

Get on board with online shopping, hire a cleaner, ask your partner to take your kids to the park so you can fit in a power workout or plan for that meeting. Take the kids to the park yourself because you did hire the cleaner and now aren’t attached to a hoover!

Delegate the tasks which you can, to help free up time to do the things which enrich your life.

Batch Cook, be prepared…

Yes, something as simple as having some freshly prepared, home cooked meals in the freezer is a fail safe mechanism to stop you a- blowing cash on a take away and b- stop you from eating rubbish which invariably makes you feel awful.

It is an easy way to reduce stress and anxiety around dinner, knowing you have something nutritious and quick to eat, particularly if you have a gazillion other tasks to attend to.

Whip up a few bircher Muesli’s pots the night before, for an easy breakfast which nourishes your mind and body, whilst taking absolutely zero precious minutes away from your morning routine.

Get a dog…

Fact.. Dogs reduce stress.. Dogs also require exercise, something else which is proven to reduce stress and anxiety.

There is nothing quite like that unconditional love, the waggy tail, sloppy kisses and unrequited excitement you experience coming home to man’s best friend, or the unfailing enthusiasm for chasing the ball or galloping through the park.

If having a dog just isn’t practical, there are plenty of ways to borrow a dog for the day.

It will do nothing but make you smile and enrich your day.

Employ Mindfulness/ Meditation…

Meditation is an amazing way to listen to yourself and quieten your mind, it helps you to be mindful, thankful and still.

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.” -Zen proverb

Drink more water…

Obvious and easy to do…

I often hear “ I don’t even have time to drink a glass of water.”

If this Is indeed a fact (which I find highly dubious), you need to seriously rethink your time management strategies. Dehydration can lead to all sorts of problems from concentration to headaches and joint pain, to kidney disease, weight gain and chronic fatigue. If you just forget, invest in an environmentally friendly water bottle to take with you or to sit on your desk to remind you to get on board with H20!

These simple strategies help me navigate my way through a busy, happy and fulfilling life, full of laughter and appreciation for the small things!

Set yourself the challenge of writing down and implementing 5 things you could do to help you love yourself and bring more positivity to your life and those around you.