Ten Basic Self-Care Principles

LifestyleWellness

Feb 1

Elisa Henry Morton, fertility coach and motherhood expert, lighting candle in light-filled main area

So often, we think about the external elements of self-care and prioritize the things that get results when we look in the mirror. This is great, but sometimes it can be at the expense of our overall health because we are not taking the time to listen to our needs and how to truly nourishing our soul on a deeper level.

Each of these ten basic self-care practices is designed to help you prioritize yourself, and to encourage you to take notice of how you feel when you set aside time to do something just for you.

#1 - Sleep: Sleep (or, lack thereof) affects everything - mood, digestion, productivity, happiness, appearance, and reaction time! Yet 35% of adults don’t get enough sleep. So just how much is enough? Like anything, it varies from person-to-person but most adults need between 7-9 hours to function at their best - the key is setting yourself up for sleep success!

My #1 tip for getting enough sleep at night is to stick to a sleep schedule (even on weekends). Calculate how long your bedtime routine takes (everything you do before bed) minus this from the time you want to be asleep and hey presto!

If it takes you 60 minutes to shower, brush your teeth, take your vitamins, make breakfast, read, and 15 minutes to fall asleep, you’ll need to allow 75 minutes to get yourself ready, and into bed. If your ideal sleep time is 10:30pm you’ll need to start winding-down at 9:15pm (not 10:30!).

Other things you can do to help improve your sleep include: skipping the afternoon espresso, wearing an eye mask, putting your phone on do not disturb, and avoid too much water right before going to bed

#2 - Setting Boundaries: Boundaries are the limitations we set for ourselves and others - they can be physical, emotional, and energetic.

In order for a boundary to be successful, it is important to get really clear on what things are important to you and identify your limits and why you are setting a particular boundary.

Tune into your feelings and notice how a situation makes you feel - if there’s any resentment or discomfort it is likely that someone has overstepped their ground, or is taking advantage of your generosity. If this happens it is your cue to be direct and let that person know how you are feeling.

Often there is guilt when it comes to setting boundaries (especially with family) and so we fall into the trap of saying yes when we really ought to say no - sound familiar?

Setting boundaries takes time and practice, so don’t beat yourself up if you feel like you are failing - use each new opportunity as a chance to be assertive and tap into what you need most at that moment.

#3 - Digital Consumption: Here are some helpful strategies for creating healthy tech-boundaries, whilst still living, working, dating, and shopping in the 21st century:

Put away your phone during mealtimes.
Don’t take your phone to the bathroom.
Make your bedroom a tech-free zone
Delete and organize apps and social accounts not serving you.
Unsubscribe from unwanted mailing lists and subscriptions.
Limit yourself to one screen at a time (harder than it seems)
Switch out a Netflix series for a board game.
Experiment with one tech-free day per week.
Put your phone on Airplane Mode for one hour each day.
Read a book!!

Tip: Stop, check-in with yourself, and breathe before automatically replying to a text or email. Ask yourself, if you really need to be on your phone at this moment, or can you simply be present and enjoy the moment without needing to capture/share/tweet about it.

Elisa Henry Morton, CEO of Eat Heal Move, sitting in mauve athletic set and holding purple water bottle

#4 - Daily Movement: What's the easiest way to incorporate movement into your daily life? Simple, don't think of it as an additional thing you need to do, instead, make it an extension of your day.

Not every workout needs to leave you feeling like you've run a marathon. Here are my favorite tips for incorporating gentle and supportive movement into your day:

Find something you love (a loathed workout is a missed one)
Everyday movement is about consistency, not perfection!
Get yourself a standing desk.
Have walking meetings.
Walk to get your lunch rather than relying on delivery services.
Set a reminder to get up throughout the day - walk to fill up your water bottle, walk over to someone’s desk instead of sending them an email, or just do a lap of the office (or apartment)
Do some simple stretches or a gentle yoga flow upon rising
Walk!! Walking is my favorite form of gentle movement and it's absolutely free!

#5 - Deep Belly Breathing: According to the Harvard School of Medicine, the ability to breathe deeply and powerfully is ingrained in us but often lies dormant.

Reawakening allows you to tap into one of your body's strongest self-healing mechanisms. 3 deep belly breaths are all it takes to re-set, relax, re-center, and ground yourself in your body.

This tool is so effective if you are feeling anxious, worked up, or need a moment to catch your breath:

Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
Put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
Do this breathing exercise 3 to 10 times for maximum benefits.
Take your time with each breath, and do not rush or force it.
Notice how you feel at the end of this exercise.

#6 - A Gratitude Journal: A gratitude journal is just like any other journal but with the intention of focusing on the good things in your life, despite how difficult and heavy things might feel.

According to a recent study, grateful people sleep better, have more empathy towards other humans, and are less likely to seek revenge!

Below are some sample prompts for you to incorporate into your journaling:

Who are you grateful for in your life?
What do you have now that you didn't have ten years ago?
How are you different today from a few years ago?
Are you grateful for these changes?
What experiences have you had that you are grateful for?
How have you challenged yourself professionally in the past year?
How does this make you feel in your career?
List down the body parts that you are thankful for, and why.

Elisa Henry Morton, CEO of Eat Heal Move, writing into teal journal

#7 - Dry Brushing: Dry brushing is amazing for detoxification! Just 5 minutes a day is enough to promote lymph flow/drainage, boost circulation and rid the body of toxins, it also helps to stimulate the nervous system, giving you an instant surge of energy and endorphins!

Dry brushing can help to improve skin appearance, unclog pores, and (may) even banish cellulite. So how can you easily incorporate this practice into your daily routine so that it becomes a habit? Hang your dry brush in the shower so that it’s easily accessible, and commit to using it for a week (that’s it)!

Instructions for dry-brushing:

Start at your feet, moving up the legs on both sides, then work from the arms toward your chest, moving the brush counter-clockwise on your stomach.
The best time to dry brush is immediately before a shower so that you can wash away all the dead skin cells! When dry brushing, always work towards your heart, making long sweeping motions.
When choosing a dry brush always opt for natural bristles and most importantly don’t brush too hard.
Your skin should be stimulated but not red and irritated.

#8 - An Epsom Salt Bath: An Epsom salt bath is great for decreasing stress, soothing tired muscles, aiding detoxification, and keeping skin soft. The two active ingredients, magnesium and sulfate help to stimulate the detox pathways, stimulating the lymphatic system. When Epsom salts are dissolved in warm water, the magnesium and sulfate ions are released into the water and absorbed into your skin - great news for those people not meeting their magnesium RDI through food and supplements alone.

Healthy magnesium levels can help to boost your brain's neurotransmitters, boosting sleep and reducing stress.

How to create the ultimate bathtime ritual:

Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to warm running water and soak for 20 minutes*
For a truly luxe experience add a few drops of essential oil - my favorite bathtime oils include lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and eucalyptus.
Add some candles, your favorite chill-mix, and watch the day melt away.

*If you are currently pregnant, make sure that the bathwater is not too hot, and skip the essential oils.

#9 - Self-compassion: Self-compassion is a powerful way of supporting your wellbeing when you need it most. It is treating yourself with the same kindness, love, and tenderness as you would a friend or loved one.

Self-compassion is particularly important when you’re feeling inadequate, struggling, or experiencing failure. When you fight your experience, you are denying yourself compassion.

When you experience pain or failure, often the first reaction is to criticize yourself - we think that a mistake equals failure. But part of being human is experiencing challenges and making mistakes - because without them, how would we grow? It is your experiences (both good and bad) that make you who you are. This is the human condition. You are not broken.

Self-compassion is the feeling of peace, safety, and warmth - it is accepting yourself just as you are with loving-kindness. It is acknowledging the present so that you have the ability to self-soothe and find active comfort. It is being mindful of your suffering, without getting lost in it.

#10 - Time for self: When was the last time that you did something just for yourself? And not as a partner, aunt/uncle, mom/dad, daughter/son, sister/brother, or friend. Just for you simply because you wanted to - and not because you had to!

Research shows that people who enjoy daily time to themselves (even an hour a day) sleep better, experience less fatigue, depression, and anxiety, have greater resistance to sickness, and less tension - which is no surprise because when we spend all day filling up other people’s cups we are left empty and depleted with a broken cup.