I often talk about self-care strategies at work. Why?
Because you only have one body and if you keep it healthy, you can thrive, not only in your career but in life.
Because you are worth it.
Because you have a responsibility to yourself and your family and friends to take care of yourself.
Because how you treat yourself also tells others how you wish to be treated.
Because you know yourself best!
Because you are the only one who can do it!
The key to unlock the self-care treasure: MINDSET, nothing fancy or complex and it doesn’t need to be added to an ever growing to-do-list, it is a mindset shift to ensure that self-care is a priority. Embed these thoughts, beliefs and actions into all that you do –
- Make a mental note or phone reminder to pace yourself at work: know when to stop & breathe deeply for a few minutes or have a good stretch or get some fresh air.
- Know and express your limitations and boundaries: to protect yourself and others.
- Say no: when something won’t work for you or will comprise your wellbeing. It doesn’t have to be an outright no – it could be no to the full thing and yes to a shorter or smaller version, it could be I would love to but I can’t, I know someone fantastic who might be able to help. Exercise the no muscle and you will find it gets stronger and is your colleague for saying yes to yourself.
- Self-talk: Negative self-talk is one of the worst ways in which we sabotage ourselves, catch yourself, stop and change to positive supportive self-talk that supports, nurtures and sustains you!
- Affirmations: positive statements that we want to reinforce in our lives, it can be anything, often starts with I AM… e.g. I AM HEALTHY AND ENERGETIC, I AM RADIANT BEING, I AM CAPABLE AND WORTHY. This can also be a good place to start with turning negative self-talk around – the minute you catch yourself in a negative self-talk spiral, repeat an affirmation, train yourself to get out of the old habit and into a kinder one.
- Thoughts, emotions and feelings: Commit being more aware about your thoughts and emotions – when things go awry your thoughts, emotions (and actions) are the only thing you have control over, so be sure to make them work for you. So often the pain we feel is because we are fighting ‘what is’ or ‘what we are feeling’. Make friends with your thoughts and emotions, allow them to be, believe and trust that they will pass, they always do.
“Be the change you want to see” we are told! So, will you lead the way with self-care?
Doing so you give others permission to do the same for themselves, imagine the ripple effect.
Love always
Tracy
Waveform Consulting 