If you’re a young professional looking to establish a name for themselves, if you’re a professional trying to maintain their reputation or if you’re just someone working hard to stay afloat in this economy, we get it—it’s very hard to have any time for yourself. However, self-care is not a waste of time, but a crucial tool for your business success. So if you want to improve your work satisfaction and stay busy without being overwhelmed, here are a few self-care practices to introduce to your lifestyle:
Start your mornings on the right foot
Don’t let your day be busy even before you hit the office. Wake up in time (when you snooze you lose precious time) and start your day on the right foot. Do a short HIIT exercise, take a shower and study your schedule in peace as you sip your protein shake, smoothie or coffee. Grab a light breakfast and get dressed for work. This time that’s reserved only for you in the morning can help you with stress, anxiety and depression—it’s one of the best self-care practices.
Try tea instead of coffee
Slow down, no one is asking you to ditch coffee—we know it’s crucial for all business professionals. However, at times, you can skip a cup of coffee and opt for tea. Herbal tea can rehydrate you and offer a nice break when you’re very busy. There’s something in the process of preparing tea, and the act itself can help you calm down and think clearly, which is something you always need at work.
Do some easy skincare
Skincare doesn’t have to have 10 steps and 10 different products to be called skincare. You can simply do some moisturizing and sunscreen when you’re leaving the house and wash your face after you come home. Great practice for busy people who want to have healthier and more beautiful skin is masks. The best thing about these masks is that you can put them on and continue answering emails, going through your files or making your weekly schedule—they won’t be in your way. Some people even choose to use face masks while commuting or flying for business trips. And you can find a mask made for almost any issue, no matter if you struggle with hydration, sagging, puffiness, etc.
Improve your diet
This is easier said than done for sure, but if you stock up on a few recipes and some healthy ingredients, you can whip up something in literally 30 minutes or less. And if you’re too busy to go grocery shopping (it truly does take a lot of time), you can rely on delivery. For instance, you can always opt for grocery delivery in Canberra and always have fresh and tasty products at home ready to be turned into meals. Now that you don’t have to go grocery shopping, you can have more time to turn ingredients into something delicious and nutritious. And don’t forget to have fun while cooking and appreciate the energy you’re about to consume.
Have nutritious snacks
When you’re very busy, it’s easy to get carried away and miss lunch. In that case, what do you do? Probably reach for fast food, chocolate bar or another cup of coffee to give you some energy. Well, it’s actually very easy to get nutrition even when you’re extremely busy. If you buy trail mix and energy bars in bulk and keep some in your office, you’ll always have something of quality to snack on. If your work has a store, bar or restaurant, see if you can grab something like Greek yogurt, a banana, an apple or veggies with hummus. These are easy to eat even when on the go, yet they are packed with nutrients.
Reward yourself
What do you do when you care about someone? You might give them a nice gift from time to time. Well, do the same with yourself—self-care is often a mental and emotional practice but it can be very much material as well. After you’ve done great at work, you can reward yourself with a present, such as a free day, spa treatments, shopping, clubbing, etc. This little treat won’t ruin your finances but it will make you much happier.
Learn the power of ‘no’
If you’re just at the beginning of your career, it might be tempting to say ‘yes’ to every job, every request and every chance to network, but that can simply drain you to the bone. Saying ‘no’ is a crucial part of self-care and it can ensure you are always fresh and motivated to tackle tasks that truly interest you and what matters for your career, while dodging some boring energy-draining tasks. If you know when to stand up for your wishes, you will earn respect from other people and they will know how not to treat you.
Busy professionals can also practice self-care, especially these aforementioned ways of self-care. They will boost your satisfaction and ensure you’re healthy and strong.
