How to Take Care of yourself?

We give you here 11 good habits to adopt to transform your life!

The pace of life and the attention we pay to others, especially our families, makes us forget how to take care of ourselves. In fact, it often feels like we spend most of our days running around trying to meet the needs of our loved ones. It’s not surprising that our own needs take a back seat. To stay fit, however, it is crucial to take care of yourself, both in body and soul.

Although our responsibilities are important, taking care of ourselves is a necessity that must be placed at the centre of our priorities. If not, the mental and physical state starts to deteriorate. It becomes more difficult to fall asleep, to concentrate and to have the same amount of energy as before. Despite the fatigue, one continues to move forward without rest, just like a car without gasoline.

It is true that taking time out for yourself is often synonymous with selfishness and laziness. However, this idea could not be more wrong and misleading! To become the best you can be, there are two small rules to follow: stop wasting time and change bad habits. In this context, here are a few good habits to adopt today to regain a balance of body and mind!

1. Try to see things in a positive light

What if we started to see things in a more positive light in order to feel better? We need to take care of ourselves by trying positive thinking. However, adopting positive thinking does not mean stealing face. Nor is it a technique that guarantees eternal happiness. So how do you get started? Wellness seminars, relaxation coaches, specialist psychologists and positive reading are just a few of the ways of integrating positive thinking into your life.

2. Take a break

Yes, taking a few days off has a very important impact on working life. A rested and refreshed employee is much more productive than a tired employee who has not taken time off. In addition to the necessary relaxation that a holiday provides, it is also an opportunity to develop new skills, knowledge and other competences. Taking a break also encourages creativity and imagination. But it is important to disconnect from work and tasks during the holidays!

3. Keep a diary

Having a diary as an adult is THE key to happiness! Handwriting down your thoughts, feelings, doubts and fears is a smart way to deal with everyday stress. In fact, the benefits of journaling are scientifically proven. So, to take good care of yourself, grab a pen, a journal and get started. In your pretty notebook, you write about your love affairs, your evenings with girlfriends, as well as your fears and anxieties to better manage them in the future. For those of you who have abandoned it, judging that you no longer need it, it’s time to get back to it!

4. Self-care when you don’t see anyone

The pace of our professional and personal lives very often prevents us from making an appointment with ourselves to recharge our batteries without any distractions. Whether it’s a beauty session, reading a good book, practicing laughter yoga, watching your favourite series on Netflix or painting a picture, a moment of isolation is the perfect opportunity to find yourself and take good care of yourself.

5. Practice meditation

The benefits of yoga and meditation are well documented. The idea behind these practices is to clear your mind, rid yourself of tension and problems and reconnect with yourself. By working on the breath, meditation is an effective way to deal with everyday stress. It also has the advantage of being able to be practiced anywhere without any equipment. And no, you don’t have to be a Zen master to do it. Just slow down your breathing a few times a day, leave all your problems behind and give yourself a moment of real relaxation and well-being. It’s easy!

6. Dealing with negative people in your lifestress

If someone around you is just annoying you, it may be time to deprive yourself of their company in the future. “Psychic vampires” or “energy thieves”, these people who force your empathy can actually be very dangerous for your mental health. It is therefore essential to keep them at a distance. If, on the other hand, you cannot avoid them, it is better to set some limits on their behaviour. In this context, it is important to note that everyone likes to feel useful, but at some point it can become very tiring. That is why learning to say no is not forbidden, unhealthy or unwelcome. On the contrary, it’s a very good self-therapy habit to get into to avoid overworking yourself.

7. Opting for bibliotherapy

For all the blues, the little depressed ones and the dreary days without a mood, there is always a morale-boosting book you can dip into. Here are a few titles to check out in case of a downer:

• Tomorrow is another day
• Eat, Pray, Love
• The first day of the rest of my life
• The year of the YES
• Sorry, I’m expected
• The list of my desires

8. Sleeping well

How to take care of yourself as a woman sleeping wellView in galleryIt’s a never-ending circle: you go to bed late at night so that you can do a few last-minute things and then you can’t get any sleep. In the morning, you turn off the alarm 15 times before waking up tired! But did you know that sleep helps protect your immune system, fight cardiovascular disease, prevent weight gain and maintain your memory? When you sleep, your body regenerates and repairs itself, your knowledge and learning are consolidated and your emotions are cleaned up. That’s why getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for your physical and mental health. If, however, you are one of the French people (one third of the population) who have difficulty falling asleep quickly and easily, you should know that there are techniques to help you fall asleep more quickly.

9. Exercise and move more

To take care of yourself and your body, just get your heart rate up for a few minutes a day with the right physical activity. The benefits of sport are many. As well as strengthening your bones, it develops your cardiovascular capacity and helps you avoid weight gain and obesity. It’s also good for your morale! Tennis, judo, running, swimming or yoga, you don’t have to be a professional sportsman to be active. If, on the other hand, you don’t have the time to do sport, adopt a few good habits on a daily basis: take a morning walk in the neighbourhood, take the stairs instead of the lift, prepare your dinner by moving to the rhythm of your favourite song, etc.

10. Take care of your posture

As you know, the human body is made to move, rather than to remain immobile. However, your lifestyle forces you to sit for many hours. As a result, most of you have poor posture. A flabby stomach, a hunched lower back, a hunched back, rounded shoulders, a bent head, forward hips… we all recognise ourselves in this more or less flattering picture. In addition to its unattractive side, the hunched back also has its share of undesirable effects on health: lower back pain, problematic digestion, constant fatigue, increased stress. To avoid them, nothing beats a few stretches every day when you wake up and before going to bed.

11. Saying goodbye to junk food

It’s no secret that wellness is all about what you eat. To have a healthy body, we must try to give it the fuel it needs. And while fruit, vegetables, grains and protein keep your body running smoothly, good eating habits are also crucial to taking good care of yourself. So think about the improvements you can make to a healthier lifestyle: replace junk food with home-cooked meals, avoid alcohol and tobacco, eat fat and sugar in moderation, etc. Just one small change a month is all it takes to get back into shape and toned up.