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It’s easy to put yourself last on the list.
By Lianne Avila — Written on Jun 08, 2017
Taking care of yourself is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It’s easy to put yourself last on the list. You take care of your family and you prioritize work. This doesn’t leave much time for yourself.
Our bodies are like a car. They need fuel. Just like how you need to fill your car up with fuel, you need to fill your body up with fuel. This starts with getting enough rest, eating nutrient-rich foods, and drinking plenty of water.
And, don’t forget about hygiene. It’s easy to rush out of the house in the morning without a shower. This will help wake you up and have you smelling fresh. I’m sure your friends and family will appreciate this.
Taking care of yourself is not selfish. You should not feel guilty about it. It really is true, we can’t take care of anyone else unless we have taken care of ourselves. This will also help you enjoy life a little more.
Here are 6 reasons why self-care is important so you need to take care of yourself:
1. It helps your memory.
We have become a sleep-deprived culture. The cost is forgetfulness. Have you ever noticed that when you haven’t had enough sleep, you make more mistakes? This can affect your family and your work performance.
Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep. Take a 30-minute nap in the middle of the day. Your mind will thank you for it.
2. It helps your mood.
Are you more irritable these days? This happens when you put yourself last on the list. Taking care of yourself helps you feel better about yourself. It also helps you set better boundaries.
So, you can stop saying "yes" when you mean "no". Your friends and family will thank you for this in the long run.
3. It helps your heart.
Exercise is one of the best forms of self-care. Yet, so many people cut it out of their life. Start scheduling time for exercise.
You can start by walking 10 minutes in one direction from your house. You will have to walk back. There you go, you added 20 minutes of walking into your day. You are off to a good start. Try adding some weight lifting to your exercise regime.
Not only is this good for your heart, it is good for your strength, especially as you get older. People who have a regular exercise routine report feeling better. And, you can’t beat the endorphin high.
4. You won’t feel as stressed out.
Tired of always worrying about the future? Will you have enough money, love, time? You can’t predict the future.
I've found that many people spend too much time thinking ahead. This creates a lot of unnecessary stress. Not only do a lot of people spend way too much time trying to predict the future, they always predict that it will turn out bad.
If you can’t stop trying to predict the future, then predict a positive outcome.
5. You become a better caregiver.
When you don’t take care of yourself, you are at risk for burnout. This makes it difficult to take care of others and yourself. It also makes you feel jealous of friends and family who actually care about you. It’s hard to feel appreciative when you feel burnt out.
6. You won’t take life so seriously.
You will be able to ride through the highs and lows of life more easily. You begin to realize that you don’t have to be perfect and neither does anyone else. You have realistic expectations of others and yourself.
You’ve already gotten through some difficult times and realize you can do it again if you have to. Let’s face it, we’ve all been around someone that just takes life way too seriously. You probably couldn’t wait to get away. Enjoy where you are in life and the people you are with.
We live in a fast-paced world, where it’s easy to focus on what you don’t have, rather than what you do have. This leaves you feeling like you never have enough. If you keep thinking this way, you will burnout. This can cause many unnecessary problems in your life. Now, who had time for unnecessary problems?
Lianne Avila is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in San Mateo, CA. She enjoys helping people through the bumps in life. For a free phone consultation or more information, please visit Lessons for Love.
This article was originally published at Lessons for Love. Reprinted with permission from the author.