Self-care is a vital part of living a healthy and balanced life. Practicing self-care reduces stress, prevents burnout, and helps us prioritize our own physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs. But it can be easy to lose sight of your wellness goals and let those healthy habits slide, especially when life gets complicated. Today, Lewis Performance Training explores some practical tips and strategies for keeping up with your self-care habits and finally achieving your wellness goals.
Pursue Professional Growth
Professional growth is an important element of self-care that many people overlook. Feeling fulfilled and satisfied with your career can have a positive impact on your well-being, enriching your life with purpose and meaning. Set some career goals and start working toward them! This might even mean going back to school. For example, if you’ve ever thought about getting a business degree, earning your MBA from an online program gives you a great deal of flexibility and is sure to open doors in the business world. Also, online degree programs are ideal for those looking to learn on the side while still working full-time.
Design a Healthy Home Environment
Your home should provide a sense of comfort, security, and safety. When your home is clean and organized, it can serve as a place of relaxation and create a solid foundation on which you can build healthy habits and behaviors. Tackle a few cleaning and decluttering projects to create a healthy home environment. For example, vacuuming regularly is important for removing pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens that can make you feel less than your best. Vacuum hardwood floors once a week and carpets twice a week. If you have a pet that sheds a lot, try to vacuum every other day.
Prioritize Yourself
In order to get the most out of your self-care habits, you need to prioritize yourself and your needs. This can feel awkward at first, especially if you’re used to caring for other people. Just remember that focusing on your needs is not selfish! Tony Robbins explains that taking time to care for yourself will help you feel recharged and ready to use your energy to care for the people that matter to you. In other words, you need to fill your own cup before you can help others.
Set SMART Goals
When it comes to setting self-care goals, it can help to follow the SMART goal-setting strategy. Develop Good Habits explains that SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Setting goals that meet all of these criteria can help you improve your wellness routine and ensure you’re working toward your goals every day. And when your goals are specific and measurable, you’ll have an easier time tracking your progress and knowing when you’ve accomplished them!
Be Patient
Achieving your health and wellness goals won't happen overnight. If you expect to see results immediately, you’re going to be disappointed and unmotivated. You must be patient! Keep your eyes on your long-term goals, but create smaller progress goals that help you see results sooner. Avoid checking your progress every day. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, stepping on the scale every day can be discouraging. However, you can and should check in with your progress every week to ensure you’re staying on track with your goals.
Most importantly, you need to believe in yourself! Trust that making positive changes takes time. You can also tell yourself positive affirmations that help you recommit to your goals whenever you start to lose motivation.
If you want to feel your best, it’s important to prioritize wellness goals and make an effort to incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine. Whether it’s cleaning your home, going back to school for professional development, or simply taking the time to exercise, self-care is essential to your overall well-being. Even if it takes some time, consistently making an effort to prioritize your wellness goals will help you lead a healthy, balanced life.
Erin Lewis of Lewis Performance Training is a professional, independent gym trainer, class instructor and nutritionist dedicated to coaching people to be their best selves. Call 469-544-7991.
Article Written by Kimberly Hayes
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