I’m currently sat writing this post a month after Christmas and New Years where I ate far too many chocolates and was lucky enough to spend plenty of quality time with my family and friends. The past month has flown by in a blur of festivities and as I reflect on the days gone past I can’t help but smile as I’ve truly had the best Christmas break this year and that is all because of one thing - I took the time off work.
| I’ve expressed my difficulty with balancing my social life and professional life many times. I’m a very career driven person and in my drive to succeed I often prioritise my time spent on my full time job and part time blog over time to myself. Towards the end of this year I’ve felt a shift where my priorities have started to change where I value the time I spend on myself a little bit more. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been dating again, I’m really focused on saving for a house or if I’ve finally reached the point that my friends warned me about and I burnt myself out. Either way 2019 was the year that I learnt to finally factor in some ‘me time’ and I’m very excited about it. | Thinking about what the new decade has in-store for me leaves me feeling giddy. With the focus less on work I can’t wait to find out where I’ll go this year, what I’ll see and who I’ll meet along the way. This time of year in particular everyone can’t help but feel a little sentimental as they write a list of plans and goals they want to achieve in the new year and qualities in themselves that they want to improve on. Some people at the end of January have already given up on their New Years resolutions but I often think that’s because we overstretch ourselves or set unrealistic targets which makes us lack motivation. So this year I only want to work on one thing; my own self care. |
You hear a lot in the news nowadays about the importance of self care and our own mental health but how often do we really take to look after ourselves? It’s easy to forget how important it is to show ourselves a little consideration and compassion. It’s just as easy to forget all of the simple ways we can revel in a little ‘me time’. Going into the new year I’ve got a few new routines I’ve added to the daily mix and I’m feeling incredibly inspired to do things slightly differently, improving upon my self care in 2020 in three ways in particular.
get the look
1.
MENTAL WELLBEING
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The first step in improving on my own self care is looking after my own mental wellbeing. This means taking time for myself and allowing for a chance to unwind after a busy day of work before I go to bed whether it’s reading a book, taking a shower or reflecting on the day. This means not pushing myself too hard and be a little more in touch with my own mental health and give myself a break before I burn out. This means reaching out to people when I need help and surrounding myself with loved ones that motivate me. This is something I struggle with the most as when it comes to my own mental health I can be very introverted but your mental health is important as it can affect so many different aspects of your life.
2.
PHYSICAL WELLBEING
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The second step is working on my own physical wellbeing. This isn’t just another cliché new year new me resolution, it means looking after my body as a whole. It means making sure I get enough sleep and don’t spend my life feeling fatigued. It means eating the right foods that energise me and not over indulging in things I shouldn’t whether it’s my favourite fried chicken shop or a Starbucks blueberry muffin. It also means exercising and taking the extra time to use products that take care of my skin and my face. This is all so important as how you feel physically massively impacts on how you feel mentally and so this year I am trying to factor in more time to look after myself.
3.
WORK A LITTLE LESS
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Lastly, and most importantly for me, the final step in improving on my own self care is working a little less. I’m a very organised person when it comes to my career and my social activities should be no different. My personal life can sometimes take a bit of a back seat as I often allow myself to become consumed with work. The last year was a bit of a wake up call for me as I was constantly exhausted and it forced me to reevaluate everything I was doing. 2020 is the year where I want to make sure I don’t take for granted the time I have with loved ones and take the time to appreciate all of the memories I make. Unsurprising, it turns out that quality of work I produce after allowing myself some time off is actually of a higher standard anyway.
I’m actually interested to know if you’ve made any New Year’s resolutions this year and if you’ve kept motivated and are still following them through. I think the new year is a great time to refresh our own life perspectives as long as we don’t put too much strain on ourselves to do so.
A belated Happy New Year everyone!
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