How to Fit Self Care Into Your Busy Schedule

Entrepreneurs often say that we are too busy to take care of ourselves. The truth is, entrepreneurs and busy people need it all the more. No matter how busy your day is, there is always time for yourself. However, before you sign up for this meditation class, hang in there! Find out what self-care really is and what misunderstandings there are.

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First, how do you start incorporating self-care into your life? It’s simpler than you think.

Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean disconnecting from the world. It means being true to your needs and paying attention to how you feel about even the simplest of things. Self-care helps you become more authentic and grounded in everything you do, but it’s different for everyone. For some, it means taking a candlelit bath. For others, taking out the trash means taking a moment for yourself.

If you’re trying to build self-care habits, start small and explore what self-care looks like for you. Here are three ways how:

1. Ask yourself how you are feeling

We’re all used to friends or co-workers asking us, “How are you?” or “Hey, how are you?” Typically, our response is driven by a desire not to fully engage. “I’m doing well. I’m fine,” and then we’ll continue. On the rare occasions when we ask ourselves, “How are you?” we answer the same. But what if you took the time first thing in the morning to assess how you really feel?

Acknowledging something is the first step to making a change. Waking up feeling good sets the tone for a good day. When you wake up feeling less than great, acknowledge those feelings. Then you can do what you need to do to take care of yourself and not let it ruin the rest of your day. If our feelings are not controlled, we risk continuing a cycle of ignoring our needs and feelings, or possibly continuing it for someone else.

2. Just start

We often think of self-care routines as a full day or afternoon at a spa. Although this can be very relaxing, it is very time consuming.

Instead, think of simple things you can do every day that cheer you up and fill your cup — like sipping your morning coffee, going for a walk, journaling, listening to your favorite album, or reading your favorite book. These are all ways to practice self-care and make space for activities that energize you rather than deplete your energy.

3. Practice mindfulness

Most entrepreneurs accept the need to work hard and smart, but many struggle to understand why self-care is valuable. They’ve heard that self-care practices like meditation and mindfulness can increase productivity and that stress is bad for their health, but they also misunderstand what self-care actually means. That’s why I love practicing mindfulness.

There are two very important things to remember about mindfulness. First, be authentic—mindfulness is less about what you do and more about whether or not you feel at home with yourself. Second, you can’t do everything, and that’s okay. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be versatile. Don’t wear too many hats or do so many jobs that you diminish your mental or physical well-being.

Quick tips for small self-care victories

Self-care looks different for different people and integrating it into your life depends on your lifestyle and personality. Some people prefer to be regimented and have a set routine. Others cause downtime on weekends. It is important that you regularly take time to take care of yourself and to give yourself a break.

You don’t have to start with a full meditation practice. Just take a few deep breaths or a few minutes and go for a walk. Stop work for five minutes and take a coffee break. Say “no” when you’re already spread too thin, even if it’s a good opportunity, because sometimes you’re saying “no” to someone else, “yes” to yourself.

Don’t make it too complicated. The simplest self-care is to create opportunities to take a break from work and your computer.

Here are a few ideas:

• remember to get your body moving throughout the day by setting an alarm every 90 minutes. When the alarm goes off, get up and move!
• Take a few minutes and read a book.
• To sleep well. Don’t be a sleep hero. Living on a few hours of sleep is not sustainable. Even historical geniuses slept seven to eight hours a night.
• Loving Reminder: Don’t change your whole life. If your self-care routine is too extreme, you won’t.
• Give yourself a break. You are already doing so much!

Check out Rosie Acosta’s book You Are Radically Loved: A Healing Journey to Self-Love for more tips on starting your journey to self-care.