March 31, 2020
Tuesday Health & Wellness Tidbit - from your Rural Stress Disciplinary Team
Submitted by Rebecca McFarland
Caring for ourselves should be a practice we engage in routinely. During challenging times that may be the first thing we take off of our schedule or to-do list. We have the best of intentions, but we easily replace it with another responsibility or to-do.
Your Rural Stress Transdisciplinary Team wants to remind you that taking care of yourself is vital to your health and well being. Self-care is something we do intentionally, to take care of our mental, emotional and physical health and well being. Self-care looks different for everyone. Your self-care plan needs to be customized to your needs, but should ensure that you are caring for your mind, body and spirit.
Here are some tips to help you intentionally care for yourself:
• Schedule time for yourself in your daily schedule. Allot some time each day when you don’t obligate yourself to anything. Give yourself total freedom to enjoy one of your favorite activities or states of being.
• Practice self-care first thing in the morning. This could be as simple as five minutes of mindfulness, prayer or breath work. It might be journaling or writing down three things you are grateful for.
• Don’t be afraid to try new methods or strategies for self-care. There are numerous videos and apps for mind-body methods, stress management, physical activity, etc.
• Remember self-care also includes making healthy eating choices, being physically active, getting sufficient sleep, and getting regular health care check-ups and screenings.
If you already have a self-care practice you engage in routinely, keep it up. If not, I challenge you to incorporate at least one within the next week.
“There is enough time for self-care. There is not enough time to make up for the life you’ll miss by not filling yourself up.” — Jennifer Williamson