Taking care of your body should be high on your priority list – after all, you only get the one!
But what are some practical practices you can implement to make sure your body is getting the self-care and love it needs?
Keep reading for our top ten tips for taking care of your body – physically, mentally and emotionally.
1. Get Enough Sleep
Lack of sleep can lead to a myriad of problems from anxiety and depression to more serious issues like high blood pressure and heart failure. Number one on our list of self-care is making sure you’re logging enough hours of quality sleep.
2. Exercise Regularly
Regular movement has too many benefits to name. Whether you like to hit the pool for a swim, push heavy weights at the gym or get outside for a run, making exercise a part of a regular weekly routine should be high on your priority list for taking care of your body.
Aim to get at least a half-hour a day of some form of physical exercise, four to six times a week.
3. Start a Daily Meditation or Journal Routine
Taking care of your body isn’t just about your physical body, it’s about the machine that keeps it all running – your brain!
A daily meditation or journal practice can help you keep your mind in the right place. Start with just ten minutes of meditating or writing and then work up to a half-hour or more.
You can find simple, beginner meditations on YouTube that will help ease you into the practice if you’re new to it.
4. Stay Hydrated
Our bodies are mostly made of water, so it makes sense to make sure they’re getting enough to stay healthy. Your body uses water in almost every cell, organ and tissue it has.
Being even slightly dehydrated can lead to quite a few problems for your body. This is an even bigger problem for people who stay chronically dehydrated.
Purchase a plastic-free water bottle and make sure you’re filling it several times a day. Adding a little lemon or cucumber can enhance the taste and provide added benefits.
5. Eat a Balanced and Healthy Diet
Food can either help us thrive or create health issues. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains and lean proteins is ideal.
That’s not to say you can’t enjoy a slice of your favorite cheesecake, but try to stick to the 80/20 rule at the very least. That means 80 percent of your foods come from whole foods, and 20 can be from processed foods.
6. Schedule Time for Yourself
Make time for yourself and the things you enjoy doing. Whether it’s cuddling up on the couch with a good book and a cup of coffee or driving out of town to hike and reconnect with nature, try to make time for the things that make you glad to be alive.
We tend to get busy with all the “have to do” things and pretend we don’t have time to relax. Make an appointment every day with yourself where you choose to focus on something you love.
Pretend this is a mandatory meeting with yourself that can’t be broken, even when you have a million other things to do.
You’ll be better able to return to your tasks refreshed and ready once you’ve had a few minutes to yourself.
7. Unplug Once a Day
Pick a time once a day where you unplug from everything. No television, no computer, no phone or tablet – just some time being in the moment.
You can choose to couple this with a meditation or journaling time, or during the time you scheduled to spend on a hobby if you want to kill two birds with one stone.
Either way, take time to disconnect.
8. Connect With People You Love
And once you’ve disconnected, spend time connecting with people you love instead.
Call your mom and chat. Invite a friend to coffee. Cuddle up on the couch with your kids and read a book.
We live in a society that’s never been more connected and disconnected at the same time.
Even introverts need human contact and interaction to feel truly connected, so make time to reach out to the people you love most.
Read more:
- Gotham Steel Pan Reviews
- Best Toaster Ovens Under $100
- Best Lump Charcoal Guide
- Best Fillet Knife For Fish
- Truvision Weight Loss: Does It Work?
9. Balance Your Productivity and Downtime
We tend to work all day to come home and prepare for the next day and then do it all again. When you put this together, it turns into an entire week spent working and a weekend spent catching up on the work and projects at home that need to be done.
Balance your productivity with downtime. We live in a society that tells us we should always be busy and that everything needs to be some kind of side-hustle. Instead of finding ways to constantly feel productive, realize that your brain needs some time to unplug.
Schedule time into your weekdays and weekends to just unwind, even if it means not getting quite as much done as you’d like. You’ll head into the next day and the next week with much more to offer.
10. See Your Doctor
Don’t neglect your physical health! Schedule regular annual checkups and stay up to date on tests you need to make sure you’re staying healthy. The good news is most insurances cover these annual “well visits”, so you won’t pay anything out of pocket.
Don’t have insurance? Check out Medicare Wire for help!
Taking Care of Your Body Needs To Be High On Your Priorities List
Taking care of your body means paying attention to your physical, mental, and emotional health. Take time to do the things that will keep you happy, healthy, and continuing on your path of growth.
Looking for more helpful articles? Check out the rest of this site for information on a variety of topics for self-growth.
Leave a Reply