Self-care is the practice of taking care of yourself mentally, physically, and emotionally. At work, it’s especially easy to neglect self-care while focusing on work tasks.
However, since much of your day is spent working, it’s important to take small steps to care for yourself while at work. By adopting some simple strategies, you can de-stress, reduce feelings of burnout, and even improve your productivity throughout the day. Before we dig into practical ways to practice self-care at work, here is a fun quiz for you. Find out what’s your self-care status?
Try these simple ways to take care of yourself while on the job.
1. Incorporate Health into Your Day
Find ways to take care of your mind, body, and spirit throughout the day. Here are examples:
- Take a quick walk during your 15-minute break or lunchtime.
- Weave healthy snacks or meals throughout your day, even if you indulge in less healthy ones.
- Take breaks to stretch at your desk and rest your eyes for a moment.
- Stop taking a few deep breaths to calm your body and mind.
2. Shift Your Perspective
We overstress our lives by being too hard on ourselves in many instances. Finding ways to think differently could shift your entire day. Consider these ideas:
- Think about whether a project is good enough and would not be improved much by overthinking or perfectionism. Often, it is time to move on to the next thing.
- In situations when you would give someone else a break, extend that break to yourself.
- Try not to be afraid of criticism or feedback. Instead, take it in stride and see it as a chance to grow, when appropriate.
3. Incorporate Other People
Others affect your well-being. Try these tips to facilitate better dynamics:
- Find occasions to delegate and ask for support.
- Do not take on other people’s responsibilities.
- Create boundaries with people you find draining or negative while spending more time with those who are healthy companions.
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Erin Gull is Axiom’s Content Marketing Specialist. She brings over 10 years of writing experience creating copy for print and digital mediums across diverse disciplines in both the B2B and B2C space.