Interviewer Interview Prep
Impactful Mentees
Benefits of a Mentor
Advice for First-Time Managers
Overcoming the 18-month Itch
Dressing for Your Style
Interview Style Tips
Women's Stocking Stuffers
Gift the Busy Traveler
Father’s Day Gift Guide
Airport Layover Activities
Traveling & Eating Healthy
Travel Like a Boss Lady
The Dual California Life
Gifts for Thanksgiving
Summer Reading List
Top Leisurely Reads
New Year, New Books
Life Lessons from a Sitcom
Oprah, Amy or Amal?
Daily Practices to Refresh your Mind, Cut the Stress and Restore your Balance
Being busy is no longer an anomaly – in fact, especially as professional women juggle a jam-packed career, a revitalizing social life, and maybe even a partner and/or children to whom they want to dedicate quality time and energy, it is increasingly the norm.
With to-do lists spanning several sheets of college-lined notebook paper and a spa day nowhere in sight, where is the space to protect your equilibrium – and sanity? Try these five simple self-care tactics. They can slot right into your busy day, and provide a brief oasis from the maddening din – and maybe tide you over till your next beach vacay.
1. Morning person? Give your coffee hour a soundtrack. Spotify and Pandora are just two options for free streaming music services you can use to choose a playlist to fit your a.m. needs. Could be that listening to some chart-topping tunes psyches you up for a productive adventure of a day. Or you could ease into the tasks ahead of you with an acoustic mix – whatever your fancy, don’t underestimate the power (as the New York Times notes) of some time with your earbuds to get your day started right.
2. Breathe. If you have an office, close the door, turn out the lights, and spend even just two minutes on deep, intentional breathing. Really fill your lungs – it may astound you just how invigorated you feel. If your space is more of the humble cubicle variety, centering breaths are still an option. You could even turn off your monitor for a moment or two to avoid watching those unread messages pop up on your screen; they’ll still be there in thirty seconds.
3. Say hello to sunshine. Even if it’s a five-minute walk around the block, getting some vitamin D and feeling the breeze on your face can be an instant pick-me-up (just make sure your moisturizer has SPF!). And this self-care tactic has an added benefit – getting you up on your feet and out of that desk chair. Stretch your arms and legs, get the blood flowing, and you’ll be ready to tackle your next meeting with renewed vigor.
4. Revisit how you’re choosing to spend your time. Are all your yes’s and no’s aimed at pleasing others? Or are they the choices that will bring you the fullest enjoyment of your non-office time? Whether you’re an extrovert, introvert, or the recently discussed ambivert, everyone needs to consider the balance of commitments in their lives, and how those commitments affect their mental (and physical) wellbeing.
So really consider that precious time spent outside of the workplace – and don’t feel guilty about letting your own desires overcome your perceived obligations. There’s no shame in turning down a girls’ night out for a Netflix evening on the couch…and by the same token, don’t be afraid to accept the support of a partner or another friend or family member to watch the kids when you’re desperately in need of a little “me time.”
5. Treat yourself. It doesn’t have to be big – it could be a simple manicure, or a few fresh gerbera daisies to put on the table to greet you when you get home. But don’t discount the big impact those little things can have on your day-to-day happiness. When you feel taken care of – and, moreover, that you deserve that kind of care from yourself (and from others) – you might find yourself holding your head a little higher, raising your voice a little more, and walking with some extra spring in your step.
Don’t let the noise build to hurricane-force, pushing you to the edge of your patience with those you love in your life – or even to burning out altogether. Make an end-of-summer resolution to yourself to check on your own well-being once a day. What are some of your strategies for self-care? Share them in the comments – and take a look at your fellow readers’ strategies to put some “me time” back in their daily lives.
