Tag Archives: mental health

Feb2

The Coronavirus Pandemic & Mental Health

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The Coronavirus Pandemic & Mental Health

Mental health has always been a sensitive topic. It’s equally important to physical health, but many believe otherwise. Mental health problems include anxiety, depression, insomnia, and phobias of different kinds. Earlier, people ignored these problems, but now, we know better.

Due to strong efforts by many mental health experts, the world became aware of these conditions and saw their effect on children, teenagers, and adults alike. But the number of patients shot up drastically during the pandemic.

How did the pandemic effect mental health?

People lost their loved ones to Covid, which worsened mental health across the globe. Every day felt worse than the last and it felt impossible to visit our friends and family. Everybody was scared for their lives, and fear is not good for mental health.

Companies laid off people, which increased unemployment and caused worry. Lock downs shut down schools, children were forced to stay home, work from home became a norm, and people had to live in isolation, leading to many mental health problems.

The whole situation created immense pressure in the minds of adults and children. It’s hard to recover from the tragedy of this scale. The environment of uncertainty and danger created hopelessness that’s hard to manage. All of these problems trigger mental issues such as anxiety and depression.

Are young adults depressed?

Surveys have shown that young people are more prone to mental issues due to the pandemic. According to a study of healthcare students at the University of Jordan, it is found that students are suffering from high anxiety, which can also hinder their learning abilities.

Young adults have reported a lack of sleep and a rise in negative thoughts. They crave losing masks and attending events like they were supposed to at this age. The constant fear is always there. What if this never ends? The financial risks are also to note. Colleges might be closed, making it hard for students to study and get good grades to qualify for better courses or jobs. They lack the skills taught inside colleges to make them excel in their respective fields.

Many studies point towards a global mental health crisis due to the pandemic. Young adults are prone to mental health problems like stress and anxiety. Loneliness during the pandemic has made young adults susceptible to depression.

What to do now?

Now that things are looking up, we all must work hard to get our mental health on track. Find people who face similar issues as you and talk to them. Create groups where you and your peers can share their struggles during the pandemic and afterward. Form pacts to put in efforts towards the betterment of your mental health.

These include eating healthy and exercising regularly. You can even hire a trainer who has done an offline or online PT course so that he or she is equipped with the knowledge to help you work out. Having a personal trainer allows you to learn how to get the best out of each workout session. They also suggest diets and healthy habits curb negative thoughts and promote better sleep.

Mental health issues need treatment and professional care. You can always seek help at a mental health clinic or schedule an appointment with a counselor. Schools and colleges can hire therapists to take care of students and listen to their struggles. They can also conduct group sessions with professionals to solve problems on a larger scale.

There is also nothing wrong with using medications when necessary. Severe levels of depression need selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or selective serotonin or norepinephrine inhibitors. Tetracyclic antidepressants are also recommended for depression along with bupropion. Organizations, schools, and colleges can have clinical psychologists prescribe medications.

It has always been important to take care of your mental health but even more so when living in these scary times. Be good to yourself and brighter days are ahead soon!

Jan15

How To Stay Clear Minded And Focused Throughout The Day

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How To Stay Clear Minded And Focused Throughout The Day

If you’re someone who tends to get distracted and you find it harder to focus the longer the day drags on, there are many reasons why that might be the case. Today, we’re going to take a look at the things you can do to stay focused and be more clear minded throughout your working day. A combination of the ideas discussed below might deliver exactly what you’re looking for:

Go to Bed and Get Up Earlier:

First of all, you should take a look at your sleeping patterns and routines. If you’re going to bed late and then skipping the alarm five times before you get out of bed, your mornings are always going to be more chaotic and stressful than they should be. And that can lead to problems with focus due to a lack of sleep and a good morning routine throughout the day. So go to bed earlier and get up earlier too.

Take Regular Breaks:

It’s a good idea not to work yourself too hard if you can help it. By taking regular breaks away from your desk and the computer screen throughout the working day, you can make sure that you’re not becoming too tired and drained. If you don’t take breaks, by the time you reach the middle of the afternoon, you’ll probably be exhausted and your performance will decline.

Drink More Water:

Drinking more water and staying hydrated throughout the day is one of the best things that you can do to stay focused and keep your mind clear. You’ll become more distracted and irritable, finding it harder to stay focused when you’re not staying properly hydrated. If you don’t really enjoy drinking water, you can find a coffee or try the best bubble tea you can find; just stay away from drinks that contain too much sugar.

Stay Away from Excessive Multitasking:

Staying away from too much multitasking is definitely a good idea if you want to make sure that you don’t get bogged down in too much work. When you multitask, you also don’t work in a way that’s efficient. So try to focus on taking on one task at a time because that’s usually something that yields better results and better focus throughout the whole day.

Work on Building Willpower:

Finally, you should think about whether your willpower or a lack of it is negatively impacting your work performance. If you struggle to focus on the task at hand, it might be because you give in to distractions and other temptations too easily. By training your brain to focus on what you’re doing and building your willpower up, you should be able to stay focused for longer.

We all need to stay on our A game throughout the day, especially when we’re juggling our jobs with our family responsibilities and the like. If focus is something that you’ve been struggling with lately, be sure to give the ideas above a try and see if they help you out!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Jan6

Maintain Your Self Confidence With These Tips

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Maintain Your Self Confidence With These Tips

Your self confidence is something that can always be improved on. Even the most confident people still have days where they falter! What confidence requires is taking a direct effort towards affirming yourself, towards expressing who you are, and in finding inspiration where you deem it most necessary. In this new year, it could be a wonderful time to work on building that confidence up and maintaining it. Here are some tips to help with that:

Confidence Helps Us Take Risks:

Confidence helps us take risks and be okay with the potential for failure. It can help us head out and make us want to try new things, or a new challenge. Taking risks can help us build confidence. Think of how an agoraphobic, under careful therapeutic maintenance, will help manage their condition by taking small steps outside, steps that can often be seen as thoroughly worrying and risky in their mental space at the time. Once they come back, that exposure makes them realize that actually, their acceptance of the perceived risk has helped them grow, just a little, and a crack in their struggle is found. Could this principle apply to parts of your life?

Confidence Helps Us Care For Ourselves:

Confidence allows us to understand that taking care of number one isn’t so bad. It’s not narcissistic to do this, because the more you care for yourself, the more you can care for others. This means going out and visiting a local dentist to have that problem seen to, making your exercise regimen more solidified, or learning when you need to take a day off to help recuperate your mental health. Confidence can help inspire us to look after ourselves as necessary.

When You Realize Your Worth, Confidence Builds:

A good way to build confidence is to watch yourself. Most of us are our biggest critics, because we see everything behind the scenes, including when we lose our temper, when we’re mean, or too proud. Yet often, we forget to look at when we’re kind or supportive of another, when we want to think about our hopes and dreams, when we sacrifice ourselves to care for someone we love. When you watch yourself in this way, you realize that you’re not that bad at all. Perhaps you have something worth keeping. Maybe, if you were just a bit more sure of yourself, you’d be able to spread that good even further. If more people realized that, the world would be a better place. It’s okay to start with you.

With this advice, we hope that your confidence continues to bloom and maintains its blossoms year round in 2022.

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Dec23

Top Tips To Feel Healthy Inside & Out

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Top Tips To Feel Healthy Inside & Out

Exercising and having a proper diet will always be the most obvious when discussing ways to start feeling healthier. But there are a wealth of other options to get you feeling better, as well. When working on improving your health – both mentally and physically, it is so important to listen to your body and what it needs. You can also start with the following:

Don’t Compare Yourself To Others:

Many people compare themselves to others regularly, which often makes them feel worse about themselves. It’s also an unhealthy trait to have. You should listen to your body, instead. Your body will have its specific needs. You’ll need to tailor your lifestyle and habits to that. These could change over time, so you’ll need to keep up with them. If you do, you’ll feel much healthier inside and out. Taking this approach also avoids the mental health consequences of comparing yourself negatively to others.

Take The Right Supplements:

Everyone knows that having the right diet can make a significant impact on how you feel. You don’t have to completely change what you eat to get this, however. Instead, you could consider complimenting your current diet with supplements. These can have more of an impact than you’d think.

The key to this is knowing which ones to take. Kratom Gummies could be one of the more recommended options. These can improve your mood while also increasing your energy levels. After a short while taking them, you should feel much healthier. That could be especially true when taken with other supplements. You’ll need to spend some time figuring out what the best ones for you are.

Dress Your Mood Up:

It’s not uncommon to have days where you want to cuddle up in your yoga pants and not do anything. Almost everyone experiences them. While minimizing these is recommended, it doesn’t mean that you have to avoid them completely. You should make sure to do it in style, however.

Put something on that makes you feel nice. Having a go-to outfit for this is suggested. Even better if you have a few of them. While there’s nothing wrong with yoga pants or sweats, staying in the same outfit all of the time can make you feel worse. Having alternative outfits for these days is a recommended option. It’ll help you feel better, and healthier, in the long term.

Few people know how to feel healthy, outside of dieting and exercising but you have many more options than you’re aware of. Each of the above habits can be more than helpful. They’ll have quite a significant impact on your physical and mental health.

Featured Image By: Marijana1 from Pixabay

Dec15

Stress Relievers To Help You Unwind

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Stress Relievers To Help You Unwind

Stress is a part of life and even though you cannot always control your circumstances, you can easily control how you respond to a situation. If you want to find out more, then simply take a look below:

Meditate:

Meditation will offer you a lot of short-term stress relief. You may even find that it helps you to develop your own mantra as well. you can repeat this in your mind as you take slow and deep breaths. You might also want to take a few minutes to practice mindfulness too. This will help you to be in the present moment. All you have to do is pay attention to what you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. If you can make yourself focused on what is happening right now, then you won’t be as likely to focus on things that have already happened.

There are countless apps and classes that can guide you through meditation routines and it is up to you to find the best fit. Should you find comfort in a group setting, take the time to research some meditation studios in the area. You might find that additional services like reiki and aromatherapy are offered as well to deepen your relaxation and healing journey. Simply enter a search for “reiki healing near you” to find a well reviewed studio to refresh and guide you. It could be just what you need to melt that stress away.

Muscle Relaxation:

Progressive muscle relaxation often involves trying to relax all of the muscles in your body. You need to do this group by group and take some deep breaths too. It is a good idea to start with your head and work your way down to your toes. If you can practice, then you will be able to learn how to recognize tightness in your muscles and you can also help yourself to relax more easily. Another excellent way to soothe aching muscles is with some heat. By entering a search for “steam rooms to book near me“, you can find a local sauna to visit to recharge and loosen those muscles in.

Take a Walk:

Exercise is a great stress reliever and it can work in a matter of minutes. Taking a walk gives you the chance to change your scenery and it also helps to put you in a better frame of mind. This will give you all of the benefits that you get with exercise too!

Give Someone a Hug:

Physical touch can help you to relieve your stress more than you realize. When you hug someone, you will release oxytocin, and this is known as the “cuddle hormone”. This is associated with happiness, and it can also go a long way when it comes to relieving stress too. Another great thing about this hormone is that it helps to reduce your blood pressure. It’s a win/win. 😀

Aromatherapy:

Aromatherapy offers a lot of major benefits when it comes to stress relief. It helps you to feel more relaxed and it also helps you to feel like you are in the current moment more as well. Research is showing time and time again that scents can alter your brain wave activity and they can also boost the amount of feel-good hormones in the body. Light your favorite scented candle to see what we mean!

Create some Art:

Coloring is a fantastic stress reliever and research has shown consistently that it can offer you a meditative effect. Those who color using complex patterns often report way less stress during the day. Not to mention how much fun it is!

Balanced Diet:

A bad diet can make you far more reactive to stress. Emotional eating with high fat and high sugar food can give you a sense of relief but it can lead to you experiencing even more stress in the future. Refined carbohydrates such as cookies or potato chips can cause your blood sugar to spike. When this happens, you will then experience a sugar crash, and this can make you way more likely to experience stress and anxiety.

Make Time for Leisure:

It doesn’t matter whether you enjoy making your own quilts or whether you love to play basketball because this is the key to helping you unwind. If you love watching sports, why not try and play one? You can also lookup the best NBA odds if you live for live games.

Positive Self-Talk:

The way that you talk to yourself does matter. That little voice at the back of your head has a far bigger impact than you realize, and you may even find that it causes you more stress. Talk to yourself in a realistic way and focus on being compassionate too. Positive self-talk will help you to develop a much healthier outlook on your life and to manage your emotions better.

The past year and change has been grueling, to say the least. Use the tips above for a mentally stronger and healthier you in the new year!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec14

Changing Your Mindset To Improve Your Personal Wellness

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Changing Your Mindset To Improve Your Personal Wellness

Life inevitably ends up containing more than its fair share of stressful and frustrating events, with some of these being serious enough to require a significant degree of attention and effort in order to deal with. Today, fortunately, a variety of useful services such as medical malpractice attorneys can be easily located and contacted in order to help you deal with some of the more painful and time consuming sorts of issues that you might be facing.

Beyond the specifics of particular situations or challenges, however, a major part of maintaining a good degree of personal wellness over the course of day-to-day life is simply having the right mindset. Here are a few tips for changing your mindset to improve your personal wellness:

Focus on balance and holistic living:

One area where many people get into serious trouble when it comes to safeguarding their personal wellness is by allowing themselves to live imbalanced lives. Everyone is familiar with the most iconic examples of high flying professionals neglecting family and friends in order to excel in their careers – but it’s also possible to be too focused on optimizing productivity or performance in other areas of life. If any one dimension of your life is causing you to miss out on sleep, pass up on good nutrition and self care, or miss out on time spent with your loved ones, these are signs of serious imbalance that need to be addressed.

The best way to achieve balance is by taking a step back and looking at what areas of your life you’re doing too much or too little of. Too much time with technology, for example, is not good for your mental well being. You might want to try spending more time outdoors or even researching sustainable housing options with Beyond Yurt. Getting in touch with the aspects of your life that are lacking can make a huge improvement to your mindset.

Emphasize regular and meaningful connection with others:

As human beings, we all naturally crave connection in life – and individuals who don’t have loved ones, friends, and acquaintances around them are likely to experience a diminished sense of overall wellness across multiple dimensions of their lives.

By finding ways to emphasize these regular and meaningful connections with others in your life, you can massively change the circumstances you find yourself in, and can ensure that you’re much likelier to thrive. Connection with other people is so important, that many professional researchers have commented that a lack of close interpersonal connections leads to illness, among other things.

Get the help you need:

Changing your mindset can be most difficult when you are struggling with mental illness or addiction and is a problem you shouldn’t have to face alone. There is so much help available to get you back to a better place. You could try seeing a therapist and psychiatrist for your mental health struggles. Or perhaps take a tour of a drug treatment center to see if it is the right fit for you to make an incredible change. Such a major change can be scary but it will be so worth it when you come out on the other side better than ever.

Look for opportunities to direct your energy in an intentional manner:

For too many people out there, day-to-day life largely involves stumbling from one activity or pastime to another. The end result being that not very much gets achieved, and procrastination and second-guessing play a major role.

Looking for opportunities to direct your energy in an intentional manner, however, can help you to feel more driven and motivated to get more done, achieve your potential, and have a clear sense of what you are getting out of bed each morning for. Whether by taking up a personal hobby or even to “time block” and schedule your days, finding opportunities to direct your energy in an intentional manner can make a major difference.

All too often people experience burn out from their demanding careers and every day stressors. Focusing on your wellness first and foremost can make these necessary tasks less daunting and sometimes, dare I say, enjoyable!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec11

Finding Success Without Compromising Your Mental Health  

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Finding Success Without Compromising Your Mental Health  

Looking after your body is an important part of life. You exercise to make sure that your muscles are strong and your body is fit while eating a healthy diet to give yourself everything you need. Of course, though, it can be all too easy to ignore a part of your body that doesn’t need physical care to be healthy; your mind. To help you to make sure that you’re looking after your mind as well as your body, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to keep your mental health in good shape:

Research & Learning:

Many people don’t know much about mental health. Until recently, this sort of issue was rarely discussed in settings like schools, and this means that you may need to do some research to learn more. Keeping yourself happy is a good goal to aim for, and different people will find different methods that work for them. This makes it well worth taking the time to explore things like meditation, mindfulness, and even different types of mental health issues so that you know what to look out for. It can be hard, but many people can work to improve their own mental health from home.

Improving your mental health is person specific meaning that what works for your friend might not necessarily work for you. That is okay! For example, your friend might benefit from journaling as opposed to talking to a counselor. Yourself, on the other hand, might love interacting and sharing with other people. If this is the case, you could look into free services offered by ShareWell. You will be able to access peer support groups and discussions on countless different topics. Knowing that you are not alone in your struggles can make a big difference in changing your mental health for the better.

Being Mindful & Aware:

It is all too common for people to ignore mental health issues. This is rarely deliberate, but it can be easy to think that everything is alright when you are actually struggling. Being mindful can take some practice, and most people need to work on this aspect of their life before they are successful. This will be well worth the time and effort it takes. Alongside being mindful, you should also be aware of the way that you feel and act. Big changes in the way you feel can be a sign that something is wrong, and it will be worth acting on this even if you believe you are alright.

Getting Support:

Anyone can find themselves struggling with mental health. There are loads of different issues you can face, from anxiety and depression to addiction and substance abuse, making it crucial that you know where to get support if you ever experience these issues. Going to a website like https://www.sunshinebehavioralhealth.com/texas/frisco/ can be a good place to start when you want to get mental health support. Support can come in many forms, from therapy to being given advice over the phone. Telehealth appointments are also a great option to utilize, especially if it’s hard for you to get to an in person session. Finding mental health support through online platforms can give you the help you need from the comfort of your own home.

A good therapist should be easy to find in your local area, but you can usually go to your doctor if you are struggling. Remember that your practitioner should be someone you feel comfortable and safe with. They should also be providing evidence-driven treatment to maximize your success.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of looking after your mind just as well as you look after your body. Many people struggle with this, finding it hard to know what to do to keep their mental health in good shape. Thankfully, though, there are tons of tools and resources that can help you with this.

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Dec5

What’s The Skinny?

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What’s The Skinny?

Hi! Before we begin, I am going to put a trigger warning on this post for references to weight and eating disorders.

My weight and self image has always been something that I struggled with. I actually haven’t really thought about it in a while until one comment sent my mind back into a tailspin. With the holiday season in full swing now, I thought that it was high time to give everyone a friendly reminder so let’s get to it:

Due to COVID, it has probably been ages since people have seen their friends and family for a holiday gathering. In that time of everyone staying in and turning to video chat to connect, people’s bodies could change. Whether weight was gained or lost during that time it is NEVER your place to say anything. Why ruin someone’s day with a completely unwarranted comment?

Weight is a sensitive subject for many people and it is also something that can fluctuate for a multitude of reasons. Of course, it’s not anyone’s business but the person themselves and here are a few of many reasons for weight change: Medication, eating disorders, an illness, depression, PCOS, and so on and so forth.

I, myself, am well aware that I have lost weight thanks to everyone and their brother telling me. Just this past week, one of my old skating coaches who I haven’t seen since the start of the pandemic made it a point to tell me that I “trimmed down”. Little did he know, my weight gain came from a time of serious depression and a binge eating disorder. He also has no idea that I am a recovering bulimic.

What this person thought was a compliment hurt me deeply and it took me back mentally to when I could barely stand to look in the mirror. So, yeah, “you lost weight” is a statement that is filled with negative connotations when the person didn’t volunteer information like that they dieted or went to the gym.

Commenting on someone’s weight after you haven’t seen them in a while also can make it seem like the person’s self worth is directly correlated with how much they weigh. A true compliment if you feel the urge to say something would be that “you look happy”. And, if you’re unsure: Say nothing at all.

Words have power and as a writer, I know this firsthand. What my old coach deemed innocent enough has still been swirling around in my head days later. In fact, it originally made me not even want to go back to that rink at all. That’s pretty sad considering how much I look forward to my time on the ice.

This holiday season, I urge all of you to keep things merry and bright and leave comments about weight off the table. Chances are, your words are going to linger well beyond the holiday gathering.

Can anyone relate to the above sentiments? What is your favorite compliment to give? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov16

Improve Your Mental Health Today With These Steps

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Improve Your Mental Health Today With These Steps

If you feel as though your mental health isn’t as good as it once was, then you are not alone. Due to the pandemic, many people are in the same situation as you right now, but there are things that you can do to try and turn things around. Take a look below to find out more:

Treat Yourself with Respect:

It is so important that you treat yourself with both kindness and respect. Make time for your hobbies and any favorite projects that you might have. This is the best way for you to try and broaden your horizon and it will also help you to focus on yourself more. Do a crossword puzzle, try and start your own vegetable garden, or sign up for dance lessons. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something that makes you happy. If you can focus on the way that certain things make you feel, it’ll make it easier to seek out those enjoyable activities in the future.

Take Care of your Body:

If you want to be healthier, then you can start by drinking plenty of water. You also need to make sure that you exercise, as this can help improve your mood. If you don’t feel like you sleep enough, then you need to change this if possible. Lack of sleep can easily contribute to high levels of depression, especially if you are younger.

Surround yourself with Great People:

People who have strong social connections tend to be happier and healthier than those who do not have a support network at all. Make plans with your friends and seek out any activities where you might meet new people. If you can do this, then you will soon find your social circle expanding. This will help to boost your mental health more than you realize.

Deal with Stress and Find Ways to Relax:

You will never eliminate stress fully, but you can find new ways to deal with it. Try and spend some time with your pet or create a journal as this will help you to deal with your negative thoughts. Once a day, smile and see the humor in your life. Research has shown that laughter can boost your immune system and that it can also relax your body as well as reduce stress. You can also learn from the Eva Carlston Academy about ways to deal with stress through artistic expression, something which is very popular today.

Quiet your Mind:

Mindfulness, meditation, or prayer is a very good way for you to unwind and relax, not to mention that it can also improve your state of mind and your emotional outlook. Research has shown that meditation can help you to feel calm and more connected to yourself.

Break up the Monotony:

Routines can help you to be more efficient in the day to day happenings of your life. However, sometimes it does help to change things up. You can try something as small as altering your jogging route or as big as planning a road trip. Either way, if you focus on changing things up, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to support your mental health.

Seek Help:

Seeking help is a sign of strength and not a weakness at all. It is so important that you remember that you are not alone, and that people will always be there to help you if you need it. If you don’t feel as though you have anyone who you can talk to, then you should know that there are people online who specialize in helping those who are feeling down. If you feel like seeking counsel online isn’t enough for the problems you are facing, facilities like borden cottage (or similar programs in your local area) can be most helpful. Treatment centers offer a reprieve from your daily life so that you can focus on the most important thing, getting better.

If you have health issues, then make sure that you speak to your doctor. Your doctor will also be able to give recommendations for therapists to help as you navigate your illness. If you have a terminal illness, it may benefit you to seek support from Serenity Hospice Care. They can provide guidance and assistance with managing symptoms and addressing emotional needs. Seeking this type of support early on can help you and your loved ones prepare and cope with the challenges ahead.

The mental health treatment cost can be something that makes people avoid seeking help altogether. If finances are a factor in whether you get help or not, speak to your doctor and insurance for more viable options. When there is a will, there’s a way and it is so important to put yourself first if you are struggling.

Say No to People:

Sometimes the best thing that you can do for your mental health, is just say no. If you can say no to people who are asking too much from you or when you are just too tired, then this will help you to preserve your mental energy. It will also help you to feel more confident and it will increase your self-worth. If you say yes to people who always ask something of you, then you may find that your mental and physical energy ends up being drained. Saying no can be difficult, but if you want to start valuing your own time, then it is absolutely crucial.

Your mental health should be as much of a priority as your physical health and you can get started today with the tips above.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov9

Making Time For Me Time

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Making Time For Me Time

Hello! I am self employed and have been running two businesses for over half a decade now. Of course, I love my jobs so much but anyone who is their own boss can tell you that it can be highly stressful – especially because if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Two businesses means a demanding schedule with weeks feeling too long and the weekends, sadly, not being long enough!

I never really realize how much I push myself for my jobs until something as small as the common cold knocks me completely on my ass. On Halloween day, I woke up with an unbearable cold and it was a struggle to get out of bed. Thankfully, a scary movie day was on the agenda so not much movement was required but I had to call off of work on Monday, which is something that I rarely do.

For most people, a cold is something that they can usually still function through but for me, it was the polar opposite. This was pretty alarming to me and I knew that it was related to just how hard that I have been working for what feels like forever. Whenever I fall sick, I always tell myself that I am going to be more lenient with giving myself a day off if I need it. While it never happens, I actually mean it this time lol.

I will be taking time off for Thanksgiving and Christmas and in the new year, I am making it a resolution to give myself permission to give myself a break. This completely goes against my work ethic but I have now realized how important it is to give myself a mental and physical break from my work. I wish that meant lavish vacations to Paris but, in reality, it will be taking an afternoon off to get my nails done or spending a day playing Animal Crossing when I feel myself getting run down.

This, of course, won’t be a monthly thing but pushing through exhaustion isn’t healthy and I know that the next time I fall ill for days on end, I will be wishing that I gave myself a break. Chill evenings with TV and a face mask is great but it just isn’t enough after an uber busy work week and jam packed weekend.

My normal self care involves pampering of some kind but I have come to realize that it is so much more than that. I now know that a more effective form of self care for me would be being less hard on myself and allowing for a day of rest as needed. It will be difficult because it goes against everything that my brain is wired to think. However, I can’t have another half decade of success in my businesses without it!

What is your method of self care? How do you make time for you with a demanding schedule? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah