– Prioritising self care and avoiding burnout

EVERY so often, life may become stressful, so it is important to take some time out of one’s schedule to do the things that make you feel relaxed for some much-needed self-care. It can take many forms: doing little things that bring us joy such as taking a walk, having a meal alone, buying that pair of shoes you saved up for, getting your nails done, indulging in a ‘lazy day’ by staying in bed, among other things.

We often need a day or two to unwind or defrost from our jobs without being burdened with housework and other everyday tasks. As a woman with a full-time job, juggling housework is never-ending and time-consuming. Managing both can be exhausting if there is no one to assist.

I find it necessary to take time out, even just an hour or so, to relax, regroup, reflect and add purpose to my life without being sad and depressed about things I have no control over.

In other cases, time management could get tricky when your full-time job takes you out of the home for many hours daily, and by the time you know it, you may have missed important personal events because your busy schedule took away from that previous time.

Self-care is a must for both men and women. Maybe you have been meaning to get a facial, or a haircut, but there is no time. Then our personal needs are put on the backburner while we tend to other tasks.

It doesn’t matter how or what we do to relax, but it must be done to have a peaceful existence in society without regrets. Generally, it is so satisfying to spend time alone to indulge in simple things that add value to my life and those around me.

A simple life rule is to surround yourself with people who bring you joy and encourage you to do your best to upgrade your life, even if it means having a small circle of people who have limited access to you.

Today, when children misbehave, we tend to put them in “time-out” but we need to take the same time out ourselves to do the things we have been putting off, like the vacation you planned three years ago, or the trip across the country you wanted to take for a year, or the girls’ night out every Saturday night.

Life comes with many hiccups and along the way, we should embrace the things and people that contribute to our well-being, mental health and welfare. Taking time out can be intermittent and it is good for the soul, often therapeutic, just what we need.

For some, having that first cup of coffee before facing the day is time-out or ensuring you put on a full-face of makeup is what makes you feel good in the morning. All I will say is, whatever works for you, but do take the time to do simple things.

Self-care isn’t fixed and I know a lot of people find it relaxing to cook meals and record themselves and have constant presence on social media. Nothing is wrong with clean content and putting certain aspects of your life out there.

However, there will come a time when you need time alone, time to think about life and what you want and project yourself down that path of success.

I also believe that part of the busy-ness of life these days comes with social media which is taking so much away from us. All some of us do is bury our heads in a cellphone almost all the time without engaging in meaningful conversations or doing the things that really matter.

With the advent of changing technology, we have come a long way and as time progresses we will also become more advanced, but how can we measure self-growth? Self- inspection is often necessary to check your personal progress in life and taking time out is a must to remain sane in a world that is ever-changing.