Taking care of yourself is incredibly important, but sometimes it’s difficult to make self-care part of your regular routine. For many of us, self-care is something we think about doing but never actually make it a priority. Whether you’re just starting out or trying to revive a habit that you’ve let slip, here are some tips for implementing a new self-care habit into your lifestyle.
Start Small and Simple
When creating a new habit, try to keep it simple. It can be anything from taking a quick walk each day or writing in a journal before bed. The key is to start small and do something that won’t take too much effort or time out of your day. Once you have established the habit, you can gradually increase the time and complexity of the activity as you become more comfortable with it.
It’s also important to set realistic expectations for yourself. Remember that it takes time and effort to create lasting habits; there will be days when you don’t feel like doing anything, and that’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up—just get back on track as soon as possible and keep going.
Understand the Why Behind Your New Self-Care Habit
When you choose a new self-care habit, identifying the reason behind why you want to implement it into your life will make you more dedicated to prioritizing it. Is it to reduce stress? To give yourself some time and space away from work? Is it to improve your mental health? Understanding your motivation for the habit will make you more likely to follow through.
Be Consistent
One of the most important parts of creating a self-care habit is consistency. Try to make sure that you are doing something for yourself every single day or at least on a regular schedule if not daily. Doing something consistently will help create an emotional connection between yourself and the activity, allowing it to become second nature over time.
Set Up a Reward System
Creating small rewards for yourself is an effective way to stay motivated and dedicated to taking care of yourself. You get to decide what your “reward” is. It could be eating a special treat, buying an item you’ve been holding back on, or simply telling yourself “Good Job!” Whatever works for you.
Don’t Give Up
This is the toughest part. It’s inevitable to have a break in your new self-care habit whether it’s one day or even for a few years. Instead of beating yourself up and judging yourself harshly, give yourself a pep talk. Tell yourself not to give up and that you can do this! We all struggle sometimes. Kick your inner critic to the curb and invite your inner cheerleader instead!
Congratulations! You’ve gone through the simple steps of starting a new self-care habit.
Creating new self-care habits may not feel easy at first, but you are valuable and you are worth the effort. With these tips in mind, there’s no reason why you can’t create positive self-care habits that last a lifetime!