Don’t Forget To Take Care Of yourself, too
Developing ways to take care of yourself can help prevent burnout. School counselors have their own ways of doing so and include supporting emotional wellness, fostering good relationships, maintaining physical health, and developing meaningful relationships outside of work. The following blog was written by Piper Mcintosh. You can contact her at: piperlmcintosh@gmail.com to follow up on her suggestions.
So much of our lives, we equate doing the “right thing” to doing something for someone else, or we choose to do it because of the impact it will have on someone else. One may never stop to consider that sometimes the most important thing you can do is to take care yourself.
There are several things we can do on a weekly or daily basis to ensure we are showing up as our best selves every day, allowing us to impact the world around us more profoundly. At the end of the day, you have to take care of yourself, too!
Exercise
Your body is full of muscles that need to be trained to work optimally. According to the Mayo Clinic, a person should get just over two hours of aerobic activity a week. 30 minutes of running or speed walking should suffice. This not only helps your body by reducing blood pressure and lowering the risk of health issues such as heart disease and many other diseases, but according toa book published by Harvard Health, regular exercise has been shown to have positive effects on your mental health by combating issues such as depression.
Practice Mindfulness
This is a practice that is almost always easier said than done. It can be so easy to become caught up in the day-to-day stresses and feel overworked and overwhelmed. There are several natural stress remedies you can incorporate into your day to feel more at peace and more centered, exactly where you are. Burning your favorite candle, reading a page from your favorite book, whatever it may be, find what brings out the best version of you.
Nutrition
Like all machines, the human body needs fuel to run. What you consume has a significant effect on both your mental and physical health. With a seemingly endless number of options for diet advice, what’s best can easily get lost. Websites and apps such as Myfitnesspal can be a lifesaver here. You track what you eat and how much you eat. These apps are great for keeping track of your caloric intake and caloric output, as well as breaking down individual nutrients and pinpointing where you’re lacking.
Prioritize Your Rest
There are so many things to fit into every day. It can quickly start to seem like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything we need done. Sometimes the easiest way to finish up those last few tasks is to sacrifice some of the precious sleep our body so desperately needs. Sleep is the time for our bodies to reset. In order to make sure your sleep is of the highest quality, make sure your sleeping space is clean and orderly, and keep the temperature at the most comfortable setting for your rest!
Say No
One of the best things you can do for yourself and, believe it or not, for others, is to say no sometimes. It is great to offer assistance to your peers, but when it starts to cause you additional stress and takes away from the little time we have left for ourselves, it can start to do more harm than good. It’s time to reclaim and celebrate our No’s! Every time you say no to an unnecessary and unwanted request, you are saying YES to yourself. You clear out the crap that encumbers your calendar and gift yourself more time/space to do what you truly want.
Taking care of yourself does not always have to mean being alone. Sometimes, being with certain people or doing certain things that really make you happy and contribute to your well-being. There is no “one size fits all” approach to taking care of yourself, but it does have universal importance.
Blog written by <piperlmcintosh@gmail.com and posted on Ethics Sage on July 23, 2019. You can learn more about Steve’s activities at: https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/.