Self-Care.
That’s one of those things that I do really awesome with for a few weeks, then for some reason I get thrown a little off my schedule and self-care gets thrown out the window.
As I sit here with a sore throat and no voice, my body has reminded me that I have ‘fallen off the wheel’ once more with my self-care.
Self-Care has become quite the buzz word in the music therapy community lately. I certainly don’t think that’s a bad thing. In such a compassion-filled field, burnout can be a huge concern. I know I have experienced it.
With all the responsibilities of business ownership and parenting, self-care is now more important than ever, but, those responsibilities make it easier than ever to overlook.
Here are 5 self-care strategies I will be re-implementing into my routine:
1. Take back my mornings.
I never used to be a morning person. However, for the past few months, I had been getting up between 5 and 5:30. As long as I could stay away from Facebook, that fantastic 3-4 hours before my son wakes up were full of ‘me’ time and productivity. I would drink my coffee, do my daily devotional, read some blog posts, and plan my day- it’s always wonderful when I actually do that in the mornings. To help me get back into a morning groove, I will start going to bed by 10pm so that I am able to get up early again.
2. Make exercise a priority.
I feel so much better after I exercise! To motivate myself, I signed up for my second half marathon a couple months ago. I’ve reached a point where I almost enjoy running again. My problem has been prioritizing the time to do it. I will be scheduling my running time to make sure I’m prepared for the half marathon in November.
3. Drink water.
I also feel so much better when I drink enough water. I’ve done well with cutting out pop, but I often forget to drink enough water. I’ve found it’s easier for me to get my water in by using a water bottle that has a wide straw. I will begin tracking my water intake to make sure I get in the amount I need for my weight and activity level.
4. Schedule admin time.
As a business owner, I still struggle with setting work/home boundaries. I realize these boundaries are important so that I can be the best version of me in both settings. I recently went through and actually put admin time on my calendar. I will also be using a timer to help keep myself on task.
5. Be creative.
Creativity is part of my job, but I often don’t work my creative muscles outside of work. I’m going to spend time each week being creative for me- making music, being crafty, whatever I can do to get my creative juices flowing.