Self-care isn’t just putting on a face mask every now and then or lighting a candle while you’re doing something productive on your laptop (although I certainly do love those things). Truly prioritizing yourself means dedicating time in your day to give yourself attention and energy that isn’t directed toward anything but your own wellness. It might seem selfish or even counterproductive to set aside this time at first, but it’s far from that. Once you begin to realize that prioritizing yourself improves your overall well-being, you’ll be one step closer to having the lifestyle you want and maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. Here are some of the ways I like to prioritize myself each day:
Sleep
Setting yourself up for 7-8 hours of a good night’s sleep makes you bound to have enough energy to tackle whatever you’ve got going for the next day.
Schedule time to do things you love
Treat yourself like another task on your to-do list and actually schedule time for things you take pleasure in. This could be as simple as dedicating an hour for a walk, reading that book you’ve been meaning to, or painting your nails.
Eat food that makes you feel good
Fuel your body with foods that actually leave you feeling good and full of energy. Meal prepping helps as well if you find yourself in a time crunch and only have time to heat up food. But also, don’t forget to treat yourself — going for an ice cream run is always a fun reward after a long day.
Spend less time on social media
Try to limit the time you spend on social media because why spend the free time you have scrolling mindlessly on apps when you can do something you really enjoy?
Be kind to yourself
The way you speak to yourself greatly impacts your mood, so have it be in a positive, loving tone instead of beating yourself up about little things. It helps to think of yourself as a friend — how would you speak to your friend if they were having a bad day?
Reevaluate the things that matter most to you
Don’t waste time and energy on things that aren’t important to you. When you determine what’s really worth your time, you’ll have more space in your day to do those things that will help you achieve your goals and make you happy.