How to Take Better Care of Yourself

Taking better care of yourself takes a while and doesn't happen overnight. In the end, it pays off in terms of personal well-being, good health, and a confidence that your place in this world is a good and important one!

Part1
Taking Care of Your Physical Needs

1
Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is a key component. You need at the minimum seven to eight or nine hours of sleep. Put yourself to sleep early every night.
- Take naps or siesta time now and then. You deserve it.
2
Get plenty of exercise. This not only helps you to stay in shape, but clears your mind for thinking straight, gives you decent breaks from work and study and builds your stamina.
- Keep your body in shape. Work out, but do not go overboard. Start jogging or lifting weights slowly and get into your own cardio routine.
3
Eat healthy, good food, vegetables, fruits, anything that doesn't make your stomach hurt a lot. Since what makes your stomach feel good or bad can be quite personal, learn by listening to your body.
Cook food in batches, then assign portions for freezing. This gives you more time during the week to do other things you enjoy than just cooking; it also ensures that the food choices you make are healthy, even when you are tired.
2
Taking Care of Your Emotional Needs
1
Accept that self care is perfectly okay. It is not self-absorption––it is ensuring that you give yourself the chance to be your best self, that you are taking care of physical, emotional and spiritual needs and that all of this enables you to be a stronger and more resilient person who can give to others.^[1] Self-care is enabling for your life and to help other lives. It is not selfish.^[2]
2
Set aside time just for you. This is time in which you do what you enjoy completely, whether it's resting, a hobby or catching up with friends. Denying yourself this time can lead to feelings of frustration, burnout and a sense of a lack of purpose in life. Block out me time in your diary each week and spend it focused solely on you.
Don't be a stress mess 24/7. Always allow a small fraction of your day to be dedicated to what you like to do. This keeps you sane, and more relaxed. Go you!
3
Learn to say no. When many people place pressure on you to meet their expectations and to do things for them, it can become overwhelming. You may feel as if all you do is people please and never say what you really think. If so, this isn't taking care of yourself, it's stretching yourself too thin.^[3] Check out how to say no without feeling guilty for some tips on taking back the power.
Check yourself when you feel it's too much––if you're trying to be everyone else's anchor, you might just be drowning under that wave of expectations.
Ask yourself: "Is my saying yes to X also saying no to myself?" The answer will be most revealing.
4
Work through feelings that cause you anxiety, anger or resentment. Avoid allowing these feelings to build up in fester––instead, address them as they arise so that you can deal with what is driving them and causing you to feel a lack of control or a loss of calm.
If it feels wrong, don't do it or subject yourself to it. It's not for you.