Self-care hack
Self-care is a funny one.
I remember years ago when my therapist first brought it up.
It went a little like this:
Therapist: I want you to start focusing more on self-care.
Me: Okay
Therapist: How much time are you willing to commit to focusing on self-care?
Me: Umm...two hours.
Therapist: each week?
Me: each day
Therapist: Machele, that's a bit extreme (all or none is my default mode, lol). How about 15 minutes a week?
Me: Okay, so what does that actually mean?
Therapist: Focus on self-care for 15-minutes
Me: Like things that will make my life easier?
Therapist: Just focus on self-care in general
Me: Ummm, like being more organized at work?
Therapist: Taking care of yourself.
Me: Like scheduling an appointment to have my AC serviced before summer hits? (lol, this really was where I was at that time)
I had no clue where to start or what self-care really meant.
I had to google it, get on Pinterest, and find ideas.
I tried to cheat by scheduling a weekly massage. But she didn't let that slide.
My entire focus had always been on work.
"You have to work hard to be valuable."
That was my mantra.
And it worked well...until it didn't.
I gave my all to work and let my own needs slide.
I see this with my clients too.
They give everything to their career, children, the spouse, keeping up with the household, elderly parents, needy friends, the school functions, growing their business. You name it.
They forget that they are human.
They end up in a place where they have no idea where to start.
They feel hopeless or even confused. Or resentful.
They think it's too late.
They are too old.
It's too selfish to start now.
It's never too late.
All you have to do is believe that you deserve it and start.
Here's an easy and effective way to get started.
Step 1: Commit to a specific amount of time that you'll focus on self-care each day. 30 minutes if you can swing it. 15 minutes minimum. If you don't have time to focus on self-care for 15 minutes each day, hire me now. Just send me an email and tell me to take all of your money. Kidding, not kidding. Be realistic; don't go for two hours a day. 😂
Step 2: Schedule it on your calendar. Set a recurring appointment for the same time every day. Pick a time of day that you're most likely to follow-through. Morning is always the best, fewer chances for distractions.
Step 3: Create a Google document titled Self-care (download the app on your phone if you don't have it already).
Step 4: Start a numbered list on the document of think of at least 5 "self-care" things to add to the list. Aim to get up to 25 eventually.
Examples: Find Youtube exercise videos that fit within your time requirement and paste the link on the list, guided mediation videos on Youtube, Take the dog for a walk, journal, read, call a friend, brainstorm vacation ideas, gratitude list, etc.
Step 5: Each morning, ask Siri to pick a random number between 1-10 (or however many you have on your list) and do the task assigned with that number.
Add new self-care tasks to the list as you think of them or when you hear a friend talk about something they're doing. Try to build your list up to 25.
Get creative and have fun with it. Life is short.
Best,
♥ Machele
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Machele Galloway is a Certified Life Coach through The Life Coach School. She's based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and specializes in helping her clients manage their time and their minds. She firmly believes that you can't manage one without managing the other. She virtually coaches women nationwide. If she isn't coaching clients, she is studying concepts and techniques. And if she isn't doing that, she's probably playing with a dog somewhere. - “Life is short. Play a little.”
