Whether you are an entrepreneur, founder, or executive – you will almost always be engulfed in looming deadlines and work pressures. This may make you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and constantly overthinking on how to ease the sweat.
But, let me in you on a solution that’ll make you gladdened: Self-care.
So, what is self-care?
It is essentially rooting for your most sought-after self that is safe, secured, trusted, and content.
When we are constantly pleasing others, we can’t pour from an empty cup.
And so can’t others put up with us when we are not our best selves.
Sometimes, speaking in superlatives liberates us! Ask me how? When my meditation practice urges me to be my most amazing self and do my best work – it gives a message to the world that I’m ready and prepared for the opportunity that comes my way.
There would be times when we’re stressed, and our energies may not concur with our expectations of being our amazing selves.
Now, you may ask, what has this got to do with self-care and my career journey?
Well, self-care is having compassion for yourself and taking action on what truly matters to you. You see, compassion is deeper than empathy; it is intending to feel your deepest emotions and plague and take charge of your life to the best of your spirit and intention.
By helping yourself, you’re helping the world. Even a small contribution of your efforts that go into shaping your career reality is predicated on how well you are ‘in sync’ with yourself – on physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental levels.
Let me explain how you can be your best on all these planes:
Physical self-care. I’d recommend a walk in the nature. You can choose your time and personal rhythm based on your body clock. Even if it’s for as brisk as 45 minutes, you’ll be set for the day ahead. Walking enlivens and puts method to constant thinking. It enriches your view, helps you plan your day, and also makes you more creative and recharged to accommodate new expectations parked in front of you. Alongside, do take naps when needed, it restores your mind and energies to keep up.
Emotional self-care. While a walk is great, you also need to have a good relationship with your emotions. I’d suggest you start a meditation practice – something which I assure you will be the best decision you will take in your life. How? Even 15 minutes twice a day can give you back more productive hours than convincingly sitting for hours with your laptop and wondering if you’ve even got something done for the day.
Mental self-care. The best way to take care of your mental health is to learn. Reading books is the best therapy for being in tune with your curiosity and shaping creative thinking. Per a beautiful article on HBR, here, ‘Framing learning as a form of respite can make it more appealing and more likely to create a positive, enjoyable experience.’ So pick a book, listen to a podcast or Ted Talk, or just write – trust me, it’s the ultimate catharsis and joy.
Spiritual self-care. Your spiritual self-care is all about the greatness and the wonder you treasure in your day. If you are grateful for being alive and living your dream, nothing can stop you to achieve your life goals. Many of us may not need spiritual scriptures, but if you want your spirituality to achieve its ultimate truth and purpose, read beautiful stories around the world, gaze at the sculptures and paintings, look at the sky and be grounded in nature, or simply take a deep breath and exhale from your mouth. For a moment, just give yourself the permission to be yourself. Perhaps a business plan you were creating now gives you a deeper perspective and an enduring vision. And all of this refection without feeling overwhelmed or worried or even tired.
Now, wake up more refreshed, sip your coffee or if you’re a tea lover (make some nice ginger chai with black pepper), close your eyes for a minute, and just take pride in how far you’ve come.
You got this!
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
