Four Self-Care Tips For Busy People

The last two years of living through a pandemic has highlighted the need for self-care in the midst of busy family life, work-life, and life in general.

Self-care can help in reducing or eliminating anxiety, depression and stress, improving concentration, minimizing frustration and anger, increasing happiness and improving energy, to name a few.

It’s so important to take care of our physical and mental well-being, and implementing the four self-care tips for busy people below in your daily routine could make all the difference:

 

1. Ten Minute Relaxation Practice

Ten minutes of focused relaxation, like meditation, can make your brain more efficient and improve cognitive function such as concentration, leaving you feeling healthier, more focused, and in control.

With mindfulness meditation, all you’ve to do is find a quiet spot, get comfortable, close your eyes, take deep breaths, and when your mind starts to wander, bring your attention back to your breathing.

 

2. Set Boundaries Between Work & Home

If you work from home, something as simple as closing your office door at the end of your work day is a visual and physical reminder that may help avoid the temptation to work “just one more hour.”

Another way to set up a work-home boundary is to not respond to emails that are sent outside of work hours, and put an automatic response stating you will respond to their email the next day.

 

3. Stick To A Routine

Routines can provide some comfort and security, and can help you feel more organized and in control, lowering stress levels and improving your focus, organization, and productivity.

Having a routine can be helpful in times of unpredictability, uncertainty, and stress, but remember, there are days when the routines simply are not feasible – life happens.

 

4. Five Minute Review To Start/End Your Workday

A five-minute review provides us with an opportunity to pause, take a breath, and focus on our agenda for the day. Is our agenda for today doable? Can something be put off until tomorrow or the next day?

The end of the workday review helps give you a sense of what you did or did not accomplish, what went well, what didn’t, and how to prepare for the next day.

 

Source: Government of Canada/HumanaCare