We live in a society that is constantly on the go. If you are not on the go, you are considered “lazy.” Trust me, I’ve felt this way. But I think it’s time to let this belief go.
You are not lazy if you rest. You take care of yourself when you rest.
However, I know that we still all have things to do every day that fills our day and leaves us with “no time.” That’s why these 3 everyday habits are so important. They are self-care, which we all could use a little more of.
These habits are broad and meant to be tailored to your life and preferences. I’ll share more in each one, but keep in mind that these habits are bio-individual and you go about them the way you need.
- Move your body
Our bodies are meant to move. When they stop moving, our body doesn’t flow the way it’s supposed to. Movement not only prevents disease and illness, it helps us feel good in our body.
Movement looks different for everyone because everyone has different needs and preferences. For some people this looks like lifting weights and for others this looks like going for a leisurely walk.
I grew up doing sports and was always an active kid. It wasn’t until college where I had to learn how I enjoy moving my body outside of sports, and that took some trial and error. But once I found what I enjoy doing to move my body, I really started to look forward to movement.
- Fuel your body
Like I mentioned, as a kid I was really active. I played sports until I graduated high school, but I never really felt good in my body. I felt uncomfortable in the clothes I was wearing and I was not confident in my body. It wasn’t until I started fueling my body with nutritious food that I started feeling comfortable in my body.
Let me say, I did not feel good because the food I was eating made my body look a certain way or because I was restricting my food intake.
I felt good because my body was getting the nutrients it needs.
This looks different now than it did back when I first started taking care of my body. When I started, fueling my body meant cutting out the processed foods and sugars. Then it was adding more fruits and vegetables. Making this change was a process and it started out slow.
Over time this type of fuel became normal. I stopped craving the processed foods and sugar and starting craving the fruits and vegetables because of how they made me feel.
The progress begins with one step. Considering it’s easier to add in than take out, start by adding one vegetable a day. Then gradually add more over time.
Fueling your body will become a habit just like brushing your teeth.
- Rest your body
If I’m going to be honest, this one is a work in progress for me. We all have a million things going on and resting isn’t always a priority. But I’ve been trying to make it one!
Health care workers talk often about the importance of sleep, but we don’t always talk about the importance of rest throughout the day. Our body works in cycles, not just at night while we sleep but during the day, too.
The body works in what is called Ultradian Rhythms. Our body works for 90 minutes, then needs 15-20 minutes to rest and recover from the work it has done.
I am really good at prioritizing 8 hours of sleep per night, but I am really bad at resting during any of the 16 other hours of the day. I pack my day full and am always on the go and doing something.
Working in the mental health field, my mind is always working. My goal recently has been to place some breaks in my work day, especially to give my body and mind time to recover.
For me, this can include bathroom breaks, taking a walk around the office, or talking to a coworker.
I know these breaks help me to be more productive in the work I do, and also to be more present with my time and my clients.
These habits not only help our body function, they help us feel our best. The habits can be easily incorporated into our day.
I encourage you to add them one at a time, as adding them all at once can be overwhelming.
Give yourself grace. You won’t be perfect but as long as you are consistent, you will start to feel better in your body.
