Self-care is by no means an innovative topic in the blogosphere – including this website – but it does appear to have changed a little bit.
Since the first introduction to social media, self-care has changed it’s definition slightly as we, the audience, started questioning what it actually means.
At the beginning, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the term ‘self-care’ actually referred to superficial acts, like a bubble bath, face masks or treating yourself to something nice at the shops.
Before the term ‘self-care’ became popular, these kind of activities would have just been referred to as a kind of pamper; something nice you do for yourself when you’re not feeling your best.
Self-care, as we are starting to realise, is actually a lot deeper than that. It also needs to happen on a more regular basis rather than just being reserved for those days when you don’t feel 100%.
In order to get the next week off to a good start, I thought I’d share three proper self-care actions that we should all try to take. These are actions that are crucial for our physical and mental well being, so you can do your best at whatever needs to happen this week.
1. BOOK THAT APPOINTMENT
Whether you need to see a doctor, the dentist, a counsellor, or a sexual health nurse make sure you actually book that appointment this week. If you need to put in a order for a prescription, make sure to do that as well.
Booking appointments is something that we all put off until the last minute because it feels awkward and we don’t want to spend our free time doing something that feels like that. But it is such an important thing for your self-care and it’s something that we need to start valuing more.
You also need to make sure that when you book these appointments, you’re going to actually make it to them. It’s alright to ask for friend’s or family’s help in both the booking and the going to any kind of appointment, so please ask for help if you need it!
2. CUT OUT THE CAFFEINE
This is something that I need to do myself this week, so thought that at least one other person out there could benefit from hearing it too.
Caffeine actually does more harm than good, yet we consume it on a regular basis. Whether you’re drinking too much coffee, tea, or even fizzy drinks it’s likely that you’re putting too much caffeine into your system.
I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty details (because I don’t really know them) but caffeine can have some nasty effects on our well being, including increased anxiety and reduced sleep quality.
If you want to improve your health this week, try at least one day without any caffeine. Replace the drinks that you’d normally have with water – I guarantee you’ll feel better for it.
3. TAKE A NAP
One of the reasons most of us rely on caffeine throughout the working day is because we’re not getting enough sleep.
If you’re anything like me then it can feel like an age since you last had a decent night’s sleep. It can be hard to get to bed on time and actually get the right quality of sleep needed to be productive when you have a million and one thoughts going on at all times.
Although we should aim to get a proper night’s sleep as often as possible (with experts recommending around seven to eight hours each night), taking a nap can sometimes be more doable.
No matter what your schedule is this week, there is bound to be a spare half and hour to an hour where you can get some shut eye. Whether this is after work or through the day if you do not have a strict schedule, a little nap can make all of the difference.
How do you take care of yourself during a bust schedule?
I hope you are well, friends and good luck for the week ahead.
Speak soon,
Rachael.
Rachaelic 
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