When life dishes out another load of demands and deadlines, our self-care rituals can quickly end up falling by the wayside. Of course, this is not a healthy predicament. The best solution is to find a balance between staying productive and maintaining overall wellness.
Get it right and the two forces will complement each other instead of conflicting. Investing more time into self-care practices can open up space in your work schedule, as it reduces stress and improves efficiency. With this in mind, here are 5 self-loving strategies to take charge of your productivity.
Walk to Work
Around half an hour is ideal, but even just 10 minutes of daily walking can positively impact your health.
Perhaps you can squeeze a few more footsteps into your commute. Maybe you prefer to end the day with an afternoon jog. Any and all effort to be less sedentary will increase your energy levels, which helps you work faster. Let’s continue with 8 more ways to incorporate self-care into your business hours:
- Lower your news and social media consumption
- Stay involved and in-touch with coworkers
- Take a book along to read in your spare time
- Polish your resume and portfolio
- Repeat light exercises at your desk
- Keep track of progress with a checklist
- Watch educational content instead of entertainment
- Invest in ergonomic peripherals for your workspace
Get Enough Sleep
Sufficient slumber is crucial to your mental and physical health. On the other hand, the consequences of sleep deprivation go far beyond fatigue. If you find yourself struggling to concentrate, burning out quickly or making frequent mistakes, your bed habits might be responsible.
Start by setting specific times for falling asleep and waking up. Start dreaming sooner by avoiding screens and optimizing your environment. Not worrying about future concerns will also help since they tend to dwell on your mind as you’re drifting off to sleep. Placing your phone somewhere else can prevent those deadly snooze button presses.
Take More Breaks
The pressure to keep working during lunch (or any break) seems to be increasing. This is characteristic of the go-go-go culture that we live in. However, smart businesses are realizing that taking breaks has a positive effect on productivity. Tork conducted a survey in 2019 and found that employees feel more refreshed and ready to work after their break.
Prioritize Your Needs
Self-care doesn’t necessarily mean pampering your body for hours each week. What it really stands for is meeting your human needs. Remember that relaxation, peace, connection, stability and comfort are entirely valid here. Listen to what your mind or body is asking for. It’s important that you know how to effectively identify and address your needs. In doing so, you will begin to truly care for yourself while also saving time. Rather than diving into random activities to temporarily feel better, you can pinpoint exactly what step to take next.
Stay on Schedule
Most people owe their inability to engage in regular self-care to not having enough time. If you’re one of them, you’ll be glad to know that the antidote is simple. All you need to do is find a few more minutes. Easier said than done, sure. But it’s not impossible.
Scheduling your self-care activities by identifying gaps in your calendar is one way to do it. Following a routine in general can help you to complete tasks sooner and end the day with hours to spare. Aim to be more assertive with yourself. Set boundaries and ensure that external factors don’t compromise your time.
Some bonus self-loving ways to improve your productivity include regular meditation and deep breathing practice. Healthy eating and less time in front of the television also makes a difference.