5 Benefits of Practicing Self Care – Boost Your Productivity

Most of us have heard about Self Care but really never took time to think about the benefits of  practicing Self care and why it is necessary especially when it comes to our productivity.

Before I dig deep into why you need self -care to increase your productivity, Lets’ first define what self care is.

What is Self-care?

Self-care is any activity you do continuously to take care of your emotional, physical, and mental well- being.

Also according to Healthline, Self-care is something that you do today, and you wake up the next morning feeling better.

We all have busy and stressful days, mainly rotating around work, kids, bills, family, and so much more that we end up forgetting about taking care of ourselves.

As a woman, I take care of things all over the place, both at work and home. It is even more challenging for moms to just get 5 minutes to themselves without interruptions.

But most people see self-care as a luxury rather than a priority. Self-Care is necessary because we can handle stressful moments, more when our bodies are rejuvenated and physically efficient.

Taking some time to maintain self-care has productivity benefits that can be achieved in several ways.

What Are Some Self-Care Techniques?

There are many different self care techniques you can incorporate in your daily routine that can help with your physical, emotional and mental health. Here are a few ideas;

• Adding healthy habits in your daily routine. Enjoy free YouTube /Online Exercises at home or take a 15- 30 minute walk daily, either in the morning before you start your day or the evening.
• Learning something new like Cooking or baking classes, painting, playing a musical instrument that can stimulate your brain and help you relax .
• Try Meditation– Meditation is one of the best self-care techniques that can improve both your mental and emotional health. Studies  have shown that it has  short-term benefits to the body that include, lowering stress and anxiety, and improving blood circulation.
• Spending time with people who love and care about you. Friends, family, your partner who provide support, make you laugh and share beautiful moments.
• Taking a day or two from work and do things that you are passionate about. It could be charity work,  playing a sport you love, travelling to places that you love. 
• Decluttering; Clutter is anything that you have but you don’t need and doesn’t add value in your life. Self care can be in form of  sorting out your mail box and throwing away unnecessary paperwork, cleaning your home, removing any negative thoughts from your mind, or staying away from obstructive relationships. 
• Spending time outdoors; go for a hike, start gardening, take nature walks. 
• Practicing Self Love. What does self love look like? It is  knowing your weakness and treating  yourself kindly. Taking care of your needs first and not sacrificing your well-being to satisfy others. Treating yourself you want others to treat you.  Accepting yourself as you are without judgment, leads to increased emotional and mental strength.

5 Benefits of Practicing Self Care And Why It Is Essential for Your Productivity

#1. Boosts Your Confidence and Self Esteem

If you wondering how self care can build your confidence, let me explain!

I used to enjoy my sleep, and like most people, my mornings were hectic. I always got out of bed just in time to take a shower, dress up and rush to work. Doing this 5 days a week left me drained and had me starting my day with mixed overwhelming emotions and negativity, thinking there goes another day in my life.

Unfortunately or fortunately, the past few months have been intense, which has encouraged me to focus on specific areas of my life that needed improvement.

Self-care being the priority.

As part of my daily self-care and productivity routine, I have added waking up an hour earlier.

It wasn’t easy at first, because it took me a while to understand the importance of having an early morning routine. 

But using this quiet time has made me reflect on what needs to be done throughout the day, organize my thoughts, exercise, and practice gratitude.

It has helped me remind myself of  how capable  I am of doing anything I set my mind to and  given me more confidence to handle stressful-busy moments at work. My overthinking abilities vanish.

It’s that feeling of knowing you have everything under control and having enough time to process your decisions faster with a clear mind.

You will find yourself more productive on days you wake up earlier and reaping the benefits of  practicing Self care.

#2. Helps You Become More Productive

Benefits of Self care come in different forms. It’s not only soaking in salt baths or treating you to a relaxing massage to feel good.

Self Care can increase your productivity as well. Practicing journaling as a daily practice is another form of self-care that will help you become more productive.

It is one of the simplest ways to put yourself first.

I must admit that I have scattered thoughts, and if you are someone like me, there is a high chance of quickly forgetting important stuff and feeling stressed out at the end of the day.

To fix this, you should get a journal or a planner to write your to- do-list of things that include daily /weekly goals, appointments, and important meetings.

Your journal should also be a place for you to make a list of things you love to do that make you happy. Make it a fun activity. Add some positive affirmations in your journal to read each morning or at night before you sleep.

Simple things like this help you operate positively on a day to day basis. This way, you are more efficient and productive.

Read more in this post by Deanna deBara, where she writes on how Self Care is becoming the most essential productivity tool.

#3. It’s A Reminder That You are Important

Do you ever take the time to appreciate your self? How resilient you are? How hard working and self less you are?

May be not, because most of the time, you are focusing on what other people need.

One of the Benefits of Self care is being reminded of how important YOU are. Often, we feel GUILTY for taking time off, away from our friends, family, or work.

But we forget that mental and physical exhaustion that come with it, which in most cases, will lead to self-unhappiness and lesser capability of managing the demands of our own lives.

Being unhappy and exhausted affects your everyday tasks in many ways than you can imagine, both at work and at home. It might cause you to procrastinate more and often lead to a lack any creative ideas.

“You can do anything, but not everything.” — David Allen.

Self-care is necessary to remind yourself and others that you and your needs are essential too.

Be it that you have accomplished a long-term goal that you have been working toward or had the most productive day and checked off everything on your to-do list. If you are miserable and tired, you cannot be satisfied with your achievements.

So find ways to pamper yourself and feel much more ready to meet others’ needs.

It is okay to take a day off of work, grab that book you have wanted to read, head to your favorite park, and spend some hours reading it.

Maybe turn off your phone, and stay away from your computer. Spend the day having complete “you” time watching Netflix!

You are worth it.

#4. Self Care Can Help Your Physical & Mental Health

As I have mentioned in previous posts, you need to be physically and mentally fit. There are some benefits of self-care on mental health such as having positive thoughts, identifying when you are feeling overwhelmed or depressed and knowing when to leave those situations.

How do I practice mental self-care?

To stay productive, we must take note of what goes into our bodies. It starts with eating right, drinking water, getting enough sleep of at least 7 hours daily, and exercising even if it is for 10 minutes.

Also, as scary as it might be to socialize due to the Pandemic, we still need to surround ourselves with a few good people we love and care about.

Get on a zoom call with your family or friends, try hiking, listen to your favorite music or maybe organize a date night with a partner at home.

Sign up for therapy. These days therapy is so much more commonplace and a form of self care for your mental health. If you have anxiety, depression, or trying to cope with new life changes, you might spend a good amount of time worrying about the present or the future.

So signing up for a therapy session each week, can help you live more mindfully in the present and to feel more peaceful and connected to the world. You will start to tap into happiness and fulfilment.

Whatever you decide to do, your productivity depends on it.

Knowing that your health is more important than anything is one of the benefits of Self Care.

Please read this article if you are looking for more tips on staying healthy and boost your immune system during COVID-19.

Physical Benefits of Self Care

Physical activity is a key to weight management . If you want to avoid excessive fat gain and maintain a healthy weight then regular exercising is the way to go.  Self care in form of physical activity  such as taking walks, participating in a sport you love increases calorie burn , and muscle mass. 

Besides maintaining a healthy weight, adding regular exercises in your daily regime can lower cardiovascular disease.

Other physical benefits of practicing self care include feeling energized. Yes, I know many of you are most worried about the exhaustion from cycling, going to the gym, or lifting weights. But research
suggests that exercise can boost your energy.

Most of us are exhausted from the days and the last thing you want to do after eight hours of work is to exercise. If this is the case, start working out in the morning when you are fresh. Do  something fun like Zumba which is more like a fun dance party. I guarantee that you will have more energy throughout the day, and  happier.

Such exercises  involve a number of movements that strengthen the muscles in the arms, chest, shoulders, and calves In the process, you are learning new dance moves!. Who wouldn’t love that?

#5. Self Care Lowers Stress

Life! What can I say… There are bills to be paid, work is hectic, having a work-life balance is hard, and so on, it seems as though bad days are hard to get over. Next thing you know, life becomes more of a chore.

Research on the benefits of self care indicates that  your stress lowers once you begin taking good care of  your body.

Many of us make poor food and beverage choices when stressed out, which creates severe issues with high blood pressure, heart diseases, and obesity.

Start making healthy choices when it comes to the food you eat, your relationships, your career choices  and make each day count, like that saying we keep hearing over and over again “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

Because when you are mindful about all you have and that life is good no matter what hardships you come across, you will be much resilient when a problem comes into your way.

It will be easier to find a way to solve anything. 

Loving you and knowing that you are AMAZING is one of the benefits of practicing Self Care. People will notice the positive vibe you carry and will start thinking more highly of you as well.

So be intentional with your Self-care routine because it is essential to increasing your productivity and lowering your stress levels. Practice self-love, make time for yourself and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Practice deep breaths. Did you know that the way you breathe affects your entire body? According to the University of Michigan Health,  Breathing exercises such as Roll Breathing or Belly Breathing help us to relax, and reduce stress.

Remember, how you feel today and tomorrow impacts how productive you can be with your life.  It’s time for you to start enjoying the benefits of self care.

More Self Care Ideas

• Eat a balanced Diet
• Create a daily routine that meets your mental and physical needs
• Stay away from toxic people
• Learn how to budget and manage your money
• Practice a relaxing evening routine
• Choose to do one thing each day that makes you happy.
• Have at least seven hours of sleep every day

As you have read, Self care benefits are endless and can be applied to all parts of your life. You will start seeing  your life change in a different way . Your mindset will become positive towards complex life situations, confidence will be on a different level and productivity will be at its highest. I would love to read on your productivity self care routine and the benefits you have received. Let me know in the comments