Starting the Year with Self Care
No matter how busy you are, time for self care is an important priority. It is easy to overlook and requires scheduling and routines. Make this intentional care taking that ensures you are at your best.
There are five types of self care to consider. Keep in mind your physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual care. We must take care of our bodies to stay well. Keeping connected is important to our well being. Being mentally sharp and our mental perspective influence our psychological well-being. Nurturing our spirit through spirituality keeps us connected to purpose and meaning. Maintaining and cultivating coping skills to deal with the many emotions we experience are part of our emotional self care. Think about these many types and where you fit on the continuum of each. Assess your needs and determine small steps to move forward in one of these areas.
Self care tips for those with ADHD
- Start with a great night’s rest. Neurodiverse brains work best with adequate rest. Don’t compromise your well being for an hour of television, games or TikTok.
- Food is fuel. Protein is important for energy and productivity. Include protein in every meal.
- Partner with a buddy for exercise. That includes a class, a walk or youtube.
- Intentionally set a daily time for self care. You may feel too busy to do this, however this is what keeps you productive and your best self.
- Write a list of what self care is to you and post it where you can see it. You are reinforcing this intention.
Get started with these easy self care routines for those with ADHD.
- Automate your meal prep by tapping into meal kits like Hello Fresh, Blue Apron or HEB Meal Simple. Order on the same day each week and prep on Sunday.
- Keep a list with a variety of ways to exercise each week. Exercise is more interesting with variety.
- Find activities to stimulate your interest and your brain including crossword puzzles, Sudoku or puzzles.
- Create connection by sending texts or written notes to friends. Small gestures are important touch points.
- Find a coach or counselor to help you process emotions and experiences.
With these self care tips, determine which areas of your life need more or less of something. As we experience uncertainty and go through life changes. these needs change too.
The partnering with someone for exercise is REAL. I started doing yoga twice a week with a friend, in our homes, using videos, almost 20 years ago. We still do it, even though she moved to another state. Now we set up our DVD players, connect on Facetime, and then hit “go!”
That sounds very fun!
Self-care is an essential, but something that often gets put on the back burner. Even if you can’t find or make the time to do ALL of the things, start with one thing. Especially if you’re feeling stressed, burned out, or time poor, it’s even more important.
When our kids were young, it was much harder to have LOTS of time for self-care. And as I got older, I went from caring for our kids to caring for my parents. Again, the self-care piece wasn’t always easy. But at this point, I know it’s become critical. If we don’t have ways to renew our energy, we will run out, be cranky, and not be of help to anyone.
So for those that are struggling with taking care of themselves, just pick one thing- a luxurious, uninterrupted bubble bath, a walk in in the woods, a nap. Do something, anything, that makes you feel cared for and renewed.
I love this way of making sure one act of self care happens!