Need some practical steps to kick start your wellness routine? In these strange times in which we now live, self care is a critical component for a healthy, happy life.
Here are some simple and easy ways to get your wellness routine off to a great start.
Goal Writing
Goals keep us accountable.
Writing goals everyday serves as a form of self care as it externalises our thoughts and actualizes the process of getting things done.
Being able to physically see what needs to be done throughout the day immediately takes the stress away from having to compart-mentalise.
Having a checklist of goals to get through is a great way to slowly ease into the day.
Meal Prep
The most effective way to carry out meal prep, is to dedicate an allocated slot of time in the week to prepare everything, including buying the groceries as well.
Sunday afternoons are a great time to not only wind down after a busy week but relax and get creative about what meals lie ahead.
Chopping up some carrot or celery sticks to snack on during the week will also prevent the likelihood of unhealthy snacking.
Some hearty meal ideas for winter include split pea and ham soup or oven-roasted veggies with brown rice.
For more ideas about healthy winter comfort foods click here.
Learn Something New
Keeping the mind stimulated is one of the best forms of self-care.
Whether it means listening to a thought-provoking podcast, reading a self-care book or even watching a Lonely Planet documentary on Netflix, the mind has no limits to how much knowledge it can absorb.
Try to learn one piece of new information each day to give the mind a break from its normal duties.
Take it up a notch and share this new conversation topic with loved ones.
Sometimes the best pieces of knowledge are learnt from everyday conversation.
Take a Break From Social Media
Even though social media has become an everyday aspect of life, it is important to switch off our phones every now and then to take a much-deserved digital detox.
Excessive use of social media has damaging effects to mental health.
For some, it stands as a benchmark for what their life should look like.
It sets up the expectation that people’s lives are so perfect all the time when in reality influencers and people who are “Instagram famous” go through hard times too, they just don’t post about it.
Stepping away from the perfectly manicured online world can reveal how toxic it can be at times.
It is important to stay present and appreciate moments in real life.
Feelings, emotions and sentiment can’t be captured entirely in a picture.
Read more about the benefits of stepping away from social media here.