Taking care of yourself can sometimes feel selfish, especially when other things are screaming for your attention. You have family, work, friends, and even kids who may need undivided attention. In this regard, it becomes paramount to understand how to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty.
Self-care isn’t just putting some slice of cucumber on your face, changing the colour of your fingernails, or binge-watching Netflix.
It’s an intentional act of connecting with your inner man, being in tune with yourself, and indulging in things that promote your general well-being.
While some people are pros at prioritizing self-care, some struggle with it. In this article, we will share practical tips on how to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty with some mindful self-care ideas to indulge in.
Also Read: Healthy Ways To Cope With Peer Pressure As An Adult
How To Prioritize Self-Care Without Feeling Guilty
No one should ever feel guilty for prioritizing their mental well-being and overall health. As you make time for others, it’s also important that you make time for yourself in the most relaxed way.
If you’re often caught in the web of prioritizing self-care and caring for others, here is a guide on how to prioritize self-care without feeling like a fraud.
Learn To Say No
In no particular order, if you want to embark on a self-care journey where you don’t feel like a fraud learn to say no to things that aren’t worth your while. You can do this by blocking your calendar to make room for me time.
You need to realize that people’s urgent situations are not your cross to carry. It’s also important to let your family members understand that you won’t be responsible for others’ bad time management.
Hence, anything not scheduled in your calendar or trying to mess up your time is an activity you shouldn’t partake in.
Be Realistic
Yes! They say “delulu is the solulu” but you weren’t told that being in touch with reality is the real “solulu”. Let’s face it, you can’t possibly be out there taking work with you have a crying suckling child seeking the attention of her mother?
Be all about self-care, yes, but it’s important to strike a balance between what looks like self-care and what isn’t.
Therefore, as you embark on prioritizing self-care, it’s pertinent to get in touch with reality. You need to ask yourself some honest questions before making a decision.
Think about the best time that is suitable for a workout-is it in the morning when the kids should be ready for school or in the evening when the kids are relaxed and cared for?
The wisdom is in finding a realistic self-care balance to enable you to prioritize better.
Focus On What You Can Control
If you want to master how to practice self-care without feeling guilty, you need to be intentional in channeling your energy to things within your control.
These are things that are on your radar like being happy, eating healthily, making it to work on time, etc.
This is what you should focus your energy on, not things that sap energy out of your living soul.
Take your mind off things that are done or orchestrated by others.
Create Systems
There’s no award for best in suffering, at least not any that we know of. Create systems that enable you to prioritize self-care.
For instance, you can create a sleeping routine, cooking routine, cleaning routine, etc, to make time for yourself.
Have Boundaries
For some people, the work never stops. They take work home and continue neck-deep into where they left off.
If you must master how to practice self-care, you need to learn how to create boundaries between work and alone time.
For others, it might not be work, it may be spending a lot of time on social media, binge-watching Netflix, or going overboard for family members.
These things will soon take a toll on you if you don’t strike a balance as soon as possible.
Avoid Perfectionism
A self-care routine doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be having a warm bath in a room of scented candles. Neither is it visiting a luxury resort. If your ideas of self-care are in line with the ones listed above, this is a sign that you’re caught in the perfection trap.
Don’t overthink self-care. A little act like turning off the TV after 3hrs of the series is enough self-care.
Don’t Over Commit
Avoid over-commitment if you want to prioritize self-care. This means going overboard to something that naturally shouldn’t take too much of your time.
This could be work, planning events with friends, getting involved in community services, etc. While these things make up your essence, the wisdom lies in knowing when to draw the line.
Avoid Negative Self Care
We can’t talk about mastering how to practice self-care without feeling guilty, Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.
If you think prioritizing self-care isn’t possible, then you are already out of the race to find the possibilities.
Instead of indulging in negative self-talk, focus on finding “how” to make it happen rather than “why” it can’t happen.
Mindful Self-Care Ideas To Prioritize
Take A Walk
One of the easiest self-care ideas to practice is taking a walk occasionally. This will help you destress and think clearly.
You can take a walk around your street, neighborhood, and estate. This helps your self-care journey by allowing you the time to be alone with your thoughts and in tune with your inner man.
Get Creative
To understand how to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty, tap into your creative side.
Each person has one hidden talent or the other, all that is needed is to discover it. You can get creative by painting, stretching, singing, writing, cooking, etc.
When you discover your creativity, leaning deeper into it will help you to prioritize the activities that boost your creative juices.
By so doing, you spend more time exploring your creativity without feeling like a cheat.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping may not sound like a fancy self-care idea because what’s fashionable about laying on the bed when you can get busy?
But here’s the breaking news, sleep is one of the best self-care routines to indulge in.
Going about depriving yourself of quality sleep simply because you are trying to be there for everyone isn’t the flex you think it is.
Out of 24 hours in the day, make a conscious effort to have quality sleep for at least 8hrs.
Don’t worry! The world would still be where you left off when you’re awake.
Listen To Music
Listening to music is one of the self-care ideas to prioritize. As trivial as it may sound, music is a source of inspiration and upliftment.
Music is soul-lifting and can help you rebuild your diminishing confidence.
Hangout With Friends
If you want to master how to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty, then you should consider hanging out with friends a little often.
Hanging out with friends helps you to disconnect from the troubles at home and work. It helps you detach from worries and stress.
You can dedicate a day in a week to a playdate with friends. This day should be dedicated to catching up with friends and loved ones.
Read A Book
The subject of self-care can be completed without mentioning one of the greatest self-care activities to indulge in.
Not only is reading a powerful self-care routine but a good enough activity to stimulate the brain cells.
You can dedicate about 15 minutes of your time to reading at least one chapter of a book. Reading will you a better appreciation of yourself and the environment. It molds you into a sound and better version of yourself that you’ll love.
Exercise
Another idea is to prioritize self-care without feeling like a cheat by doing regular exercise.
Simple exercises like yoga, stretching, walking, running, and meditating are great sources of self-care routines.
It helps to build the muscles and keep you away from sickness.
You can do this by dedicating about 15 minutes of your time to indulge in exercise, meditating, and doing some yoga.
Eat Healthy
Prioritize self-care by eating healthy. Eat foods that are rich in diets to boost your immune system. The foods will help you build the stamina and energy needed to take care of others.
You can’t possibly be doing self-care yet neglect the most important aspect of them all. Practice healthy eating by getting enough fluids, proteins, and other necessary vitamins to protect your immune system.
Journal
Practice keeping a gratitude journal by documenting the tiniest details of the things you’re grateful for. You don’t have to wait until you have hit a major milestone like buying a house or being promoted at work.
Something as tiny as being able to spend time with family and friends is worthy of having a space in your gratitude journal.
Keeping a gratitude journal is a good start in the right direction if you want to prioritize self-care.
Conclusion
Whether you’re s pro at self-care or a beginner who desires to stay in tune with yourself, these practical tips on how to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty will set you up in the right direction.
