Written by: Lark Ericson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If you thought some days you were just too busy to do anything nice or relaxing for yourself, then you’d be wrong. Sure, our schedules get hectic, and often the day gets away from us, but there are actually lots of little moments to perform self-care.
But before I give you a bunch of ideas on fitting in self-care, let's talk a moment about your mindset around your day and the time and activities you have in it. If you are constantly rushing around saying to yourself, “I’m late,” “I don’t have time,”
“I’m so stressed,” then that’s the exact experience you are going to have. I’ll delve deeper into how your thoughts create your reality in another article, but for this one, let’s just focus on your mindset for the sake of enjoying a bit of self-care every day.
If you’re constantly reaffirming to yourself that you don’t have time, then you are doing yourself a disservice by shrinking your day. Try to make some mindset shifts; it doesn't have to be a 180, because that may not feel authentic to you. Instead of shifting from “I don’t have any time” to “I have all the time in the world,” start to shift your thoughts more towards thoughts like “I have more time than I realized.” Doesn’t saying that feel like a little pressure has been released?
Now that you are starting to shift your relationship to time, let’s see where you can add in some self-care throughout your day. Notice I said "throughout.” Ideally, you’d be doing a few of these during the day since they’re so quick and easy.
Here are 20 ways to bring in more self-care throughout your day
1. In the morning
Take 10 slow, deep cleansing breaths before you even get out of bed.
Name five things you are grateful for. Try feeling gratitude surrounding the parts of your day you don’t like. Here’s an example: maybe you hate your job but you really like your coworkers, your desk, or your favorite lunch spot. Be grateful for the things that make your day better.
2. In the shower
I’ve seen how a few men shower; they wash themselves like they’re in an angry fight with the soap while simultaneously racing the countdown timer of a nuclear bomb. Just chill out and enjoy the moment. Take your time in the shower, and be slow and methodical with each step.
3. At work
Take a five-minute walk without your phone.
Bring healthy snacks.
Stretch at your desk.
Be mindful when doing anything pleasurable, such as focusing on the taste of your coffee.
Keep a tennis ball under your desk. Take your shoes off, and roll the ball under your feet. This is a fantastic stress reducer.
4. At your kid’s soccer game
Walk the perimeter of the park while the kids are warming up.
Stretch or do calisthenics during the game.
Sit in your car or on a bench and listen to a guided meditation.
Eat the orange slices, not the donuts.
5. After work
Change into different and more relaxing clothes.
Sit in your favorite chair or lay in bed with a 10-minute timer and listen to a guided meditation. This is a great full-body relaxation technique from Dr. Andrew Huberman that will deeply relax you in 10 minutes.
6. At dinner
Mindfully prepare the meal. Even if you’re not doing the cooking, you can help prep, eat, and clean mindfully.
7. At bedtime
Wash your face and moisturize.
Stretch before bed.
Read a relaxing book; don’t scroll on your phone.
Lay in bed with your eyes closed, and grant yourself permission to just lay there without any pressure to fall asleep. This time between being awake and asleep can be very healing, so just let yourself enjoy that space for a little while.
8. Throughout the day
Have a mantra, and say it whenever you can. Here are some examples:
I love and accept myself.
In this moment, I am safe, loved, successful, etc.
This moment is all I have, and I choose to be joyful, loving, happy, etc.
Mix and match these ideas to create more relaxation and time for yourself during the day. There are so many more things you can do to take care of yourself, but I just wanted you to see that it doesn’t take a lot of effort or time to put yourself first for a few minutes. I know I put stretching on here three times, but it is really true that if you don’t use it, you most definitely will lose it. Take it from me; I’m a nurse, and I’ve seen firsthand how people become more rigid as they age.
As with anything, having a routine will help make these practices stick. Once you find a few self-care techniques that feel good and work with your schedule, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to feel more relaxed, less stressed, and have more self-love.
If you’re interested in learning more about prioritizing your needs and self-care while improving your relationships, check out this free training on Mastering Masculine Wellness for Connection.
For more info about Lark Ericson, follow her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit her website.
Lark Ericson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Lark Ericson’s mission is for men to have healthier relationships with themselves and others. She experienced severe burnout and throughout her healing journey, many men in her life confided that they don’t have the same encouragement from their communities to make time for themselves as women do. Lark is a certified health and life coach, a certified hypnotherapist, and a registered nurse. Drawing from her own experiences in restoring her mental and physical health, she has established a program that provides men the perspective and tools to create the lives they want.
