You are up first thing in the morning, making lunches, getting your children to daycare, making it to work “just in time”, working all day. Then it starts all over again in reverse…picking your children from daycare, stopping at the grocery store, making dinner, doing laundry and then falling into bed exhausted every night. Sound familiar?
This is unfortunately all too common in today’s day and age. Being “so busy” is now the new sign of how important your life is. However, in reality, how is being “so busy” working for you?
When the topic of “self-care” comes up, it can feel like another thing on the to-do list, like one more thing that has to be done.
The idea of self-care has been seen as selfishness and being unnecessary…I don’t have time for that! It is the thought that you can’t be successful if you don’t keep going and going. However, some of the most successful people are the ones who know how to work hard, but also include play and relaxation in their lives.
When you don’t stop all day and take a breath you wear ourselves out and become exhausted, grumpy, angry, and start experiencing physical health problems. You know that a car needs gas before it reaches the critical empty light…well, so too do you!
At the basic level, how are you helping your family and your employment when you are not functioning at your highest level? When you are burned out and ill? This can start the endless cycle of being overwhelmed, snapping at the family, feeling guilty and vowing to do it differently tomorrow.
At a higher level, what do you want to see when you look back on your life? Is this the memories you want to create for you and your family?
If you have children, you are also modelling for them on how to live. Rates of childhood anxiety are increasing as their lives become increasingly structured and packed with activities. And as they begin to see the most important people in their lives (you their parents) overwhelmed, they experience the “so busy” as the normal pace of life.
What are some ideas you can come up with for self-care that are enjoyable for you?
When starting to introduce self-care it may help you to read some of my earlier blogs on introducing new habits. Remember to take it slow. Doing a whole live overhaul at one time will lead to crashing and burning because it is too much. Pick one tiny area and see what change could be made to make life a little less busy. Many times small changes will lead to a ripple effect on other areas of your life.
Feel free to give me a call (604-375-3010) or email (heather@discoverycounselling.ca) if you would like some support in starting a new self-care routine.
This is unfortunately all too common in today’s day and age. Being “so busy” is now the new sign of how important your life is. However, in reality, how is being “so busy” working for you?
When the topic of “self-care” comes up, it can feel like another thing on the to-do list, like one more thing that has to be done.
The idea of self-care has been seen as selfishness and being unnecessary…I don’t have time for that! It is the thought that you can’t be successful if you don’t keep going and going. However, some of the most successful people are the ones who know how to work hard, but also include play and relaxation in their lives.
When you don’t stop all day and take a breath you wear ourselves out and become exhausted, grumpy, angry, and start experiencing physical health problems. You know that a car needs gas before it reaches the critical empty light…well, so too do you!
At the basic level, how are you helping your family and your employment when you are not functioning at your highest level? When you are burned out and ill? This can start the endless cycle of being overwhelmed, snapping at the family, feeling guilty and vowing to do it differently tomorrow.
At a higher level, what do you want to see when you look back on your life? Is this the memories you want to create for you and your family?
If you have children, you are also modelling for them on how to live. Rates of childhood anxiety are increasing as their lives become increasingly structured and packed with activities. And as they begin to see the most important people in their lives (you their parents) overwhelmed, they experience the “so busy” as the normal pace of life.
What are some ideas you can come up with for self-care that are enjoyable for you?
When starting to introduce self-care it may help you to read some of my earlier blogs on introducing new habits. Remember to take it slow. Doing a whole live overhaul at one time will lead to crashing and burning because it is too much. Pick one tiny area and see what change could be made to make life a little less busy. Many times small changes will lead to a ripple effect on other areas of your life.
Feel free to give me a call (604-375-3010) or email (heather@discoverycounselling.ca) if you would like some support in starting a new self-care routine.
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