How I Practice Self Care

Dress: J.Crew Factory Polka Dot Gallery Dress (Last styled here for a rainy day – This polka dot dress is available in all sizes and is under $50. Also definitely office appropriate for a casual Friday) | Bag: L.L. Bean Tote (My favorite bag for the weekend because it can hold seriously everything! I always grab it to run weekend errands) | Sandals: Target (These sandals are from last season + no longer available but these navy wedges are similar for $59. I also love the zipper detail on these navy wedges)

Okay how is it Monday ALREADY? I feel like I just left the office on Friday and headed to grab a margarita (or 3) to unwind. I really needed it. The last weeks have been nonstop marathon sprints at work that left me feeling completely drained physically, mentally and creatively. I would fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow but would wake up about 3-4 times each night. For someone who normally sleeps like a rock, I was not a fan and ended up spending most weekends catching up on sleep.

But this wasn’t sustainable, especially since I’m extraverted and get most of my energy boosts from being with friends and generally being out and about. I knew I had to take a beat and re-focus on taking care of myself instead of just coasting on autopilot. After all, if I don’t take care of myself, who will? Self care isn’t about big, radical changes in your life. Self care is little acts that you can incorporate into your life to re-center. Here’s how I practice self care:

1. Set an alarm clock for bedtime: I’m a lifelong night owl and if I’m not in bed before 11, I’ll catch a second wind and will be wide awake and antsy until about 2a.m. No joke, this has been the case since I was a baby (as my parents like to remind me). Great on weekends, not-so-great on week nights when I need to be up early. I’ve started setting an alarm for 9:45p.m. that’s labelled “Get ready for bed NOW!” This alarm is the boss and means I need to press pause on my Netflix and not mindlessly hit “Watch next episode” (So so guilty). When this alarm goes off, I need to start my nighttime routine and be in bed by 10 or 10:15 to get ahead of that 11 o’clock burst of energy.

2. Prepare nutrient-dense meals and pay attention at mealtime: When I’m stressed, I mindlessly snack or will multi-task while cooking and eating. It’s not good, guys. I’ll shove chips and salsa into my face while standing in front of the stove making dinner without really registering how much I’m consuming. And then I’ll eat dinner while catching up on my shows and emails. Again, not good. I’ve been making a point to eat my dinner at my dining table instead of on the couch in front of the TV. Carefully chewing and enjoying the flavors has made a huge difference. I feel less bloated and uncomfortable after eating and don’t wake up with a puffy face and eyelids (TMI but this was an everyday occurrence for almost 2 weeks). My go-to dinner lately has been sautéed seasoned zucchini, Trader Joe’s Vegetable Masala burger, cauliflower rice and a cubed avocado. It’s not the most Instagrammable dinner but it’s comforting, nourishing and you only need to clean 1 skillet. Here’s what else I always buy at Trader Joe’s.

3. Drink lots of water: Drinking water is always the first habit I drop when things get crazy. I’m not a coffee drinker so my caffeine drink of choice is Diet Coke. And I will drink an alarming amount if unchecked. So I keep a 24 oz Tervis tumbler at my desk and aim to re-fill it twice each day with good ol’ water. When I get home, I have another large Tervis that I fill up as soon as I get home and again when I start my nighttime routine. My goal is to finish the glass by the time I hit the lights. If I want to jazz it up, I’ll add fresh mint, lemon slices and cucumber to a pitcher of water. This combination is also great for de-bloating.

4. Take a long walk + switch up your route: I love walks, always have. If there’s a choice between taking the Metro or an Uber or walking, I will almost always choose to walk if I have the time and it’s a safe option. I have my favorite walk routes but if I have the time, I’ll switch it up and slow down to discover a new spot like this cheerful alleyway that’s kinda made for blog photos!

5. Meditate + take deep breaths for 10 minutes: I’ve mentioned before how I love Headspace, they offer 10 10-minute meditations for free and I’ve meditated almost every day since downloading this free app several months ago, it’s made a world of difference to clear my head and help me go to sleep without thinking (and stressing) about everything I have to do tomorrow. Lately, I had some issues with staying asleep at night and recalled advice I received years ago from a spiritual mentor. We typically only take shallow breaths and are inadvertently depriving our bodies of valuable oxygen. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I close my eyes and deeply inhale through my nose for 7 seconds, deeply exhale through my mouth for 7 seconds. I repeat this 7 times and it’s worked like a charm. 

6. Detox from tech for 30 minutes: Between my blog and work, I’m practically attached at the hip to my phone. I wanted to do an hour-long tech detox but I’m starting small with 30 minutes and working my way up from there. As soon as I climb into bed and set the morning alarm on my phone, I ignore it for 30 minutes. I’ve been failing miserably at my resolution to make reading a habit again and this 30-minute tech detox means I have built-in reading time. Right now I’m reading The Universe Has Your Back.

7. Create a mini-spa: One of the easiest ways to practice self care is by using a face mask. Most masks take 10-20 minutes, perfect to fit into that 30-minute tech detox. Over the weekend, I tried out these hydrogel eye patches for the first time and was really impressed. They made a noticeable difference and I instantly felt my skin was more hydrated and brighter. Plus it’s $10 and is on Prime. Win-win. Here are a few of my favorite masks:

8. List out what you’re thankful for: When things are getting hectic and you’re feel stretched thin, it’s easy to get a bit blue. But negativity attracts more negativity so you gotta turn that around. Each morning when I wake up and before I get out of bed, I list out everything I’m thankful for. My list includes big things like my family and my health but also little things like the sweet corgi I see on my morning commute that always makes me smile.

9. Know it’s okay to say no: Saying no to social events can seem impossible when you’re an extrovert. But dragging yourself out when you are completely tired isn’t exactly the fun night you need and your friends will notice. Having several of my friends tell me I seemed exhausted lately was a major wake-up call that I needed to get back on the self care train. So when you need some sleep but the group text is blowing up with plans, just know it’s okay to text “I need to stay in tonight [Sleepy face emoji], raincheck?” There will be more nights out, trust me. But when your body and mind need a quiet night in, that’s what you gotta do.

10. Schedule in workouts: Yes, I’m one of those people who enjoys working out. As someone whose mind is usually going a mile-a-minute making lists, brainstorming and planning, I rely on my workouts to be a guaranteed hour where I know my mind will be clear. But with long work hours, my after-work gym time just wasn’t happening. I knew I needed to get those missing endorphins and mental clarity back so I started getting in my workouts before work because I knew that was time that I am 100% in charge of. It may not be a permanent habit but after a few days, a 6a.m. workout became easier and easier to wake up for.

Dress: J.Crew Factory Polka Dot Gallery Dress (Last styled here for a rainy day – This polka dot dress is available in all sizes and is under $50. Also definitely office appropriate for a casual Friday) | Bag: L.L. Bean Tote (My favorite bag for the weekend because it can hold seriously everything! I always grab it to run weekend errands) | Sandals: Target (These sandals are from last season + no longer available but these navy wedges are similar for $59. I also love the zipper detail on these navy wedges)

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Photos by Caroline Holman