“rest and self-care are so important. when you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. you cannot serve from an empty vessel.” ― Eleanor Brownn
self care, as defined by Eleanor Brownn, is “any action you purposefully take to improve your physical, emotional or spiritual well being”.
⋆˙⟡ REST
sleep at night / nap during the day / take breaks between work
- aim for 6 – 8 hours of sleep every night. do what works best for you – set a schedule & stick to it (10pm bedtime, 6am wake up) or set your alarm for ~7 hours after you plan to fall asleep.
- feel tired or unfocused throughout the day? take a nap! drink a glass of water and set your alarm for 20 – 30 minutes or practice a short yoga nidra, if you’re familiar.
- as you move through your day, be mindful about sprinkling in breaks, moments of calm, and a little quiet time between each task. after cleaning the kitchen and making a grocery list, sit for a few minutes with a cup of tea or read a chapter of a book before heading out to run errands.
IDEAS / PRACTICE
for deep rest ~
- sleep when you feel tired, if you’re able. take a quick 15 minute power nap if you’re short on time, or let yourself snooze until you naturally wake up.
- yoga nidra : “Yoga nidra, or yogic sleep as it is commonly known, is an immensely powerful meditation technique, and one of the easiest yoga practices to develop and maintain.” (https://yogainternational.com/article/view/5-benefits-of-yoga-nidra)
- play calming / relaxing music while resting, working, driving, or sleeping.
- create a restful space: this can be a space in your home or you can bring items out whenever you need. use whatever feels good to you – candles, stones, cushions / pillows / blankets, etc.
- go for a walk outside. this can also be considered movement, but a walk outside in the fresh air is deeply restful as well. bonus points if you can find some water to walk near.
⋆˙⟡ HYDRATE
drink water / eat water rich foods / supplement with electrolytes
- start your day with a big glass of water – add lemon, ginger, mint, whatever makes you feel good. fill up the largest vessel you can and make it a point to drink at least half your body weight in ounces throughout the day. pro tip : add tea bags or fruit & herbs to flavor your water and make it interesting. before bed, brew a large mug of calming herbal tea – try lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, etc.
- hydration doesn’t have to just come from the water we drink. enjoy water rich foods like watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, and oranges. adding a pinch of high quality sea salt or an electrolyte tablet / powder into one of your glasses of water each day is also beneficial to increase hydration.
IDEAS / PRACTICE
for good hydration ~
- fill up the largest jar / mug you have and sip throughout the day. keep the jar close by and aim to keep it about half full at all times.
- cut up some fruit into a jar and infuse in water in the fridge overnight — try these combinations: lemon + ginger / strawberry + mint / cucumber + lime + basil
- drink a cup of peppermint tea when you wake up, a cup of ginger tea before lunch & dinner, and a cup of lavender + chamomile tea before bed.
- chop up some watermelon, cucumber, and tomatoes, sprinkle with lemon or lime juice, add a pinch of sea salt, and enjoy a hydrating salad!
⋆˙⟡ MOVE
often / keep it simple / enjoy it
- take time throughout your day to stand up and stretch, sit or lay down, go for a walk or run, play with your dog outside, go swimming – whatever type of movement you love that is available to you at the time. if you feel like you don’t have time or space, keep it simple : run in place, yoga sun salutations, push ups and squats. try five minutes every hour or so and see how you feel.
- don’t pressure yourself to practice something you don’t love. if you dislike running, try yoga. if you don’t enjoy yoga, see how you like swimming. find the movement practice that is fun & challenging to you and do it often.
IDEAS / PRACTICE
for moving your body ~
- set a timer to remind you to switch up what you’re doing every 30 minutes to every hour. if you’ve been sitting, stand up and walk around. if you’ve been standing, sit or squat down or do a few yoga sun salutations. this could be a good time to give your eyes a break from your screen 🙂
- if you have some time during your week for a full hour long work out / run / yoga class / bike ride, go for it. be grateful and enjoy all that time. on the days when you have less time to practice, take little movement snacks throughout your day – there’s the classic “take the stairs instead of the elevator”, but also try a few squats or pushups in your bathroom before your shower or a couple of stretches outside your car before you drive to work for the day.
- go for a walk outside. I can’t recommend this enough for self care! involve all of your senses – feel your feet on the ground, smell the plants, see the animals, hear the birds, taste the air. you can skip, jog, run at full speed, walk as slow as you can handle, stretch, swing your arms, whatever feels good. move your body!
⋆˙⟡ BREATHE
slow & deep / breathwork
- when you take movement and rest breaks throughout the day, check in with your breath. practice taking deep, slow breaths into your belly, in and out of your nose. as often as you can remember – especially if you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or upset – come back to this slow & deep breath to feel calm, focused, and present.
- in addition to this breath awareness practice, you can work with breathing in and out of your left nostril only. simply close off your right nostril with your thumb and take long deep breaths in & out your left nostril. this is a calming, soothing, and focused breath practice.
IDEAS / PRACTICE
for breathing ~
- when your movement alarm goes off, take this as a reminder to check in with your breath as well – sit or stand up tall, close your eyes if you can, and notice your inhales & exhales as they are. take a few moments to simply notice as you are, then begin to lengthen and deepen your breath. work on making your exhales longer than your inhales.
- practice left nostril breathing: exhale fully, then close off your right nostril with your right thumb. inhale & exhale through your left nostril only for 1 – 3 minutes. finish by breathing deeply in and out of both nostrils for 5 breaths. this breath practice activates your parasympathetic nervous system, calms your mind, and relaxes your body.
thank you for reading and for taking care of yourself ♡