SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SELF-CARE AWARENESS MONTH, SO WHAT BETTER TIME TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF? OAK GROVE HAS A LIST OF IDEAS AND TIPS TO HELP YOU FOCUS ON YOURSELF
Self-care is often described as performing actions to improve your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Practicing self-care helps you create a healthy relationship with yourself, allowing you to establish a positive mindset to translate into good feelings and emotions for others around you as well. This is the perfect time to let yourself recharge, which will allow you to improve your outlook on yourself while lowering unhealthy amounts of stress.
Get enough sleep
- It’s recommended you get 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
- Sleep affects your daytime mood, emotional reactivity, and the capacity to regulate your emotions.
- Try keeping a regular sleep schedule by waking up and going to bed at the same time every night.
Exercise
- Exercising regularly helps reduce stress, burn calories, and help you sleep better!
- Your exercise routine doesn’t have to be strenuous – Take a walk, go on a hike, swim some laps – do something that you enjoy doing that allows you to be active.
Take yourself on a date
- It doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive, but take time for yourself!
- Do something you find enjoyable – paint, read, go to your favorite restaurant, get a massage, see that movie you’ve wanted to see, have a picnic in the park.
- Scheduling time for yourself while doing something that makes you happy can help counter the stress of life and let you take a break, no matter how long you decide to take.
Take a break from your phone
- Put your phone down and be present, whether it’s at home, at work, or with yourself.
- Don’t allow phones at the dinner table and limit yourself to only checking messages and calls instead of mindlessly scrolling on social media.
Volunteer/Donate
- Helping others is an excellent method of psychological self-care.
- Spend time volunteering in the community or donate old clothes, food, or pet supplies to a local organization.
There are countless ways to practice self-care this month, so share these ideas with someone else in the Oak Grove Community, then start by taking a moment to be grateful for what you have and take care of yourself today.