6 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself For A Happier Mind & Body!

By Viroon on 04 May 2020

Senior Creative Editor

Passionate about fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Junk Food Junkie | When she’s not writing, you can find her at the pantry munching on snacks.

It’s easy to get caught up in the continuous cycle of work, sleep, and more work, especially during this circuit breaker period. When you hear the term “self-care”, what do you envision? Not sure? Not to worry, we are here to help you to understand.

via GIPHY

Self-care is any activity you are doing for yourself to take care of your mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it is a simple concept, we tend to overlook somehow. Here are six ways for you to practise self-care!

Photo from Pinterest

Scroll on to find out how you can better take care of yourself!

#1 Rest

Photo from Pinterest

It is okay to take a break. Take a short nap or 10-minute break from whatever you’re doing - work, house-cleaning, scrolling social media, etc. Rest is the key to your wellbeing. Permit yourself to take a break and recharge. Try adding some mindfulness, imagery or meditation as you recharge.

#2 Eat Well

Photo from Pinterest

Make sure you nourish your body. When we say “nutrition”, we don’t mean diet. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is one of the core elements of self-care. Start by trying to balance your meals with all the food groups. Different foods have different properties and do different jobs in the body. Taking your time over meals also helps you digest your food better. Having an appetite is a sign of a healthy person, so don’t brush it aside or ignore it.

#3 Move Your Body

Photo from Pinterest

Exercise leads to overall wellbeing. A little exercise will go a long way to reducing stress. Even a short 15 to 20 minutes workout in the morning will energize and motivate you for the day ahead. Set your alarm for a little earlier than usual and prepare your workout attire the night before to save time.

#4 Seek Support

Photo from Pinterest

It is okay to ask for help. Going out and asking for help is a good thing, don’t let others tell you otherwise. Requesting help can often make us feel vulnerable. We always tried to do everything by ourselves and hide when we’re struggling so that no one finds out. Help doesn’t make you feeble. Support doesn’t make you dependent. Sometimes you need a little guidance, a bit of advice, a helping hand, a doctor, a mentor. And that’s okay. That doesn’t make you weak. So, next time when you are struggling, it is alright to reach out for help.

#5 Do What You Love

Photo from Pinterest

If you enjoy reading or exercising, do those things. Do things for yourself that make you happy. If you enjoy cooking, go ahead and make the dishes that you enjoy. Or, if you have a favourite show, watch that show.

#6 Set Boundaries

via GIPHY

Say no to what doesn't feel right. We all have priorities and we all have things we have to do. Learn to say NO to something causing you distress. Don’t take that extra load at work just because you feel obligated. It’s okay to say no, and you do not have to explain yourself to anyone. Feel the way you are taking control of your life and notice the strength in your voice.

To help you keep track of your baseline needs, especially in stressful situations, here are some checklists for you!