When we talk about or read about self-care, we tend to see lots of conversations around making time for ourselves, having a bubblebath and cooking ourselves something nice for dinner. Whilst these are undoubtedly good things to do, there are much more sensible self-care practices you can carry out – as we hope these practical self-care tips will show.
Tackle Your Finances
Although finances aren’t always the source of feeling stressed, money worries certainly can make things worse – for example, if you’re worried about taking some downtime and paying the bills at the same time. It is easy to bury our head in the sand, ignore letters and hope it will all go away, but it rarely does – especially when we’re talking about finances. Instead, do what you can to tackle financiers – put together a monthly budget, log into online accounts and set up monthly payment plans etc.
It is probably one of the hardest things to do in terms of self-care, but money being one less thing to worry about certainly helps the bigger picture of things.
Get Professional Help
Asking for help is a big step and no one is promising it will be a quick fix, but it is an important self-care tip when it comes to looking after ourselves. Many people assume that low-cost counselling is something that simply doesn’t exist and as such discount it as an option straight away. However, places like The Awareness Centre have a range of counselling and support services both face-to-face and online that can really help – and they come with a price tag that is likely less than you’re assuming it will be.
Seeking out professional help is a wise idea because it gives you someone unbiased to talk to. Although reaching out to loved ones is always a good idea too; it can sometimes feel as though you can’t be completely open with them about how you are feeling. The fear of upsetting someone you care about or being judged makes it tempting to hold back on how you are feeling. Counselling takes this away as you are talking to someone you know you can be honest with how you are feeling, and that is a great big step toward starting to feel better.
You don’t feel as though you are a burden on someone’s time when you seek them out in a professional capacity – and of course, you get the added bonus of being able to take advantage of their knowledge and qualifications. They can give you practical and helpful advice which you can implement in real life.
Make Changes
Although sometimes we just feel down and stressed for what feels like no reason, that isn’t always the case. If there is something that consistently makes you feel bad then it is time to take the plunge and make changes. This could be something as simple as removing people from social media so you don’t have to see their fees to something as big as making a job change. Some of the changes you want to make won’t happen overnight, but even working towards them can help you feel immediately better about things – and that is always a good thing!
Looking After Yourself
We live in a society that often encourages us to plod on and just get on with things – which can sometimes work short-term. However, if you’re feeling stressed & anxious then the chances are that without tackling this you’ll become burnt out and really ill, and that is something well worth trying to avoid. If you are in a position to then treating yourself to pamper products and items that make you fee good is a really good idea. For example, head to the MDLondon website so you can get a new hairdyrer and give yourself a pamper session next time you have a bath – after all, you’re worth it!
Of course, practising self-care isn’t always the easiest to carry out but in the long term can really help improve how you feel. If you have any tips you’d like to share we’d love to hear them
*Collaborative post
About Debz Louise
Debz Louise is a UK-based lifestyle expert and the founder of several lifestyle blogs. Specialising in everything from interior design and home renovation to body-positive fashion and parenting, Debz brings a wealth of hands-on experience to every guide. Her mission at Stereotude is to simplify the modern world for her readers through expert curation and fiercely honest advice.