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According to an article from Harvard Medical School, squeezing in time for self-care is like securing your oxygen mask before helping others. It makes you more effective and prevents feelings of burnout. It’s especially good for people who are in addiction recovery. Self-care will help you continue forward in your life, especially if you make it a routine. Here are a few ways you can make more time for it.
- Bullet journaling
Bullet journals help people to plan for the short and long term. They also provide benefits beyond a normal planner. You can customize your bullet journal however you want. There are no rules. You can write down your stressful thoughts and anxieties, ideas and goals, or create a habit tracker. Your bullet journal is for you alone.
- Block off little chunks of time
Chunking out time by using methods like the Pomodoro technique can help to reduce distractions at home, improve productivity, and increase time for self-care activities. When you’re at home, you can block off time for self-care and make your home more conducive to relaxation. Take the time to meditate. Set aside an area in your home for meditation that is quiet, calming, and clutter free. Spend a few minutes there each day focused on nothing but your breath pattern, and how you’re feeling physically and emotionally.
- Use apps to make life easier
There are a multitude of apps out there to help you get your home and life more organized. Some apps are designed to be habit trackers, and some are designed for blocking other apps on your phone so you can be more focused. There are lots of options, so compare the pros and cons of each one. An app can help you take care of household duties and chores so you feel less stressed home.
- Meal prep
Meal prepping can also reduce stress, since you won’t have to worry about making the perfect dinner from scratch night after night. Many meal prep experts recommend preparing just one or two different kinds of meals. Doing too many at once can get chaotic and increase the overall time you spend on this project.
- Make use of your lunch break
Sometimes, your day can be overwhelming and stressful, which is hard if you’re in addiction recovery. If you use your lunch break to do things like socialize with coworkers and friends, it can be a good way to network and build serious team cohesion, in addition to other benefits. You can also use your lunch break for alone time. Take advantage of your breaks to help yourself recharge.
6. Eliminate time-wasters
The average person spends hours each day on social media. Even if you have a good experience with social media, limiting your use will help you be more productive. Some things you can do to limit your usage include deleting social media apps from your phone and logging out of any sites you use after you’re finished with them.
- Use waiting time wisely
If you’re waiting for an appointment, a train, or have time to kill in between responsibilities, take advantage of it. Using waiting time as self-care time or simply using it for productivity are both ways to make it meaningful. If you have a few spare minutes, you can meditate or listen to a favorite song. You can also pull out a book to read or jot down some thoughts.
Self-care is achievable for even the busiest of people. Even if your self-care is just 15 minutes of taking a nap, putting aside that time will help you be more productive. Self-care will help you stay on the path to addiction recovery, and make life more meaningful and fulfilling.
Guest Post By: Susan Treadway; Rehab Holistics