Taking care of you: More tips for self-care
1. TAKE 10 MINUTES TO… Ditch negative thoughts – Do you have a loud inner critic? Do you find yourself constantly looking on the pessimistic side? Here’s a simple tip to try. The next time you catch yourself having an overtly negative or critical thought, pause, take a breath and then actively interrupt it by countering with a positive thought. For example, ‘I’m no good at this,’ turns into, ‘I am doing my best and I am learning.’ Our minds can be our worst enemies, but if we consciously try to think positive, loving thoughts about ourselves and others, it actually boosts our mood and our self-confidence, which in turn will improve our lives. It can be tricky to do this in the beginning, but the good news is that with practice it will become a lot easier.
2. TAKE 10 MINUTES TO… Try one new thing – Shaking up your routine can be a great way to boost your wellbeing. Whether it’s trying out that new coffee shop or walking a new way to the shops, bringing more novelty into your life has been scientifically proven to stimulate creativity, help us overcome fear and it encourages us to grow. Take 10 minutes to either try something new this week or come up with a list of things that you’d like to experience in the coming weeks, then, go out and do them.
3. ASSESS YOUR CONSUMPTION… in 10 minutes – As humans, we consume a lot of information on a daily basis and all of this information, positive or negative, leaves a lasting impression on our subconscious minds. Our subconscious mind plays a huge role in informing our general state of wellbeing and in this age of information overload, it’s absolutely essential that we’re aware of just what kind of information we’re consuming on a daily basis. Various studies have shown that spending too much time on social media can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety, and consistently consuming violent or distressing TV shows, films or books, or even news reports, can cause further harm. This week spend 10 minutes looking at the type of content you consume on a regular basis. Is it mostly inspiring, happy and uplifting content? If so, keep doing what you’re doing. However, if you notice that it’s unhappy or negative content, it might be worth considering a change. We are what we eat, and this applies to the pictures, sounds and stories we feed our minds too.
4. TAKE 10 MINUTES TO… Practice the art of patience
Patience is a virtue and the good news is it’s an easy one to cultivate. Patience is something that’s essential to daily life. Daily life is stressful and often fraught with delays. With patience we can take a breath and feel perfectly content to relax while others remain tense. In fact, according to a study conducted by a Fuller Theological Seminary professor and a UC Davis Psychology professor, patient people usually tend to experience less depression and negative emotions. Why? Because thanks to patience, they can cope better with upsetting or stressful situations.
5. DEAL WITH IT… in 10 minutes – Make a plan to do the thing. You know the one – the awkward conversation, the confrontation, the thing you know you need to do but desperately don’t want to. Sit down and spend 10 minutes really looking at the reality of the situation and then put a positive plan in place for how you’ll deal with it. By choosing to deal with our problems and face them head-on, we automatically teach ourselves how to be resilient in the face of adversity and we encourage ourselves to be more honest. Deal with the issue now and get it over with before it festers and potentially becomes worse.
6. HAVE A BREAK… for 10 minutes – In the middle of a busy day, the best thing you can do is take 10 minutes to yourself and give yourself full permission to slack off and have fun. It sounds counter-intuitive, but a slew of studies has shown that having mindless fun for at least 10 minutes helps to release pent-up frustration and feelings of stress, meaning that when we sit back down to accomplish another task or finish something we’ve already started, we have nice little burst of creativity and clear-thinking to accompany it.
7. MAKE A MEMORY JAR… in 10 minutes – Grab an empty jar and place it somewhere prominent in your home, where you’ll see it often. If you don’t have a jar, a plastic container would work well for this also. Place a pad of sticky notes and a pen beside it. Going forward every time you experience something positive in your life, something that makes you feel happy or grateful, write it down on a sticky note, scrunch it up and place it in the jar. At the end of the year, open the jar and relive all these happy memories, taking into consideration the many things you have to be positive about in your life. The jar itself will act as a visual representation, showcasing all the blessings in your life end encouraging you to actively look for the good.
8. TAKE 10 MINUTES… to try active and constructive responding (ACR) – ARC is a method that has been proven to boost and maintain strong personal relationships. It also helps us to feel more positive and engaged with those important people in our lives. If you’d like to give it a try, it’s a very easy thing to practice. The premise is simple – if a friend or loved one shares some good news with you, respond in a constructive and enthusiastic way. For example, if they share they they’ve gotten a promotion, you might say something like, “That’s amazing news. You’ve always been so conscientious and good at your job. I’m glad they gave you a promotion. It’s amazing, well done. Let’s go out and celebrate.”
9. HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON… for 10 minutes – The next time you really want something, whether it’s a cup of coffee or to sit down with a good book, delay the experience by 10 minutes. Why? Well, according to research the simple act of delayed gratification actually makes us enjoy the experience even more than if we give in to our desire instantly. By delaying your coffee, you’re ensure that the experience of drinking it is even more enriching. Experiment with this simple practice this week and see if it makes your experiences richer and more gratitude-inducing.
10. CHOOSE 10 ITEMS… in 10 minutes – The next time you have a spare 10 minutes, use them to look around the room and choose 10 items that you don’t actually use. Once you’ve chosen your items, put them in a box and place them somewhere that you can’t see them, such as the closet. If you don’t miss any of the items within the next week, then consider officially getting rid of them or donating them to a charity shop. This is an easy and efficient way to cut down on extra clutter around your home and will quickly get you thinking about all the non-essential items that you own.