Society puts a lot of importance on being productive, making accomplishments, and staying busy. You’re considered lazy if you don’t have high aspirations, you’re a bad employee if you don’t stay to ‘help out’ past your scheduled shift time. Choosing to be a stay at home parent is generally judged, as is opting to not go to college right out of high school.
Many of us feel like we need to be productive as much as possible, even on our days off. We run errands, clean our homes, do yard work and whatever else ‘needs’ to get done. And while some errands and To Dos are time sensitive and cannot be put off, it is still important to take some time to rest. Self care improves your physical and mental health, as well as increasing productivity in the long run. Ultimately the goal is to be more efficient with the time you have, and efficiency is the result of taking care of yourself. Self care improves cognitive functions, focus and concentration. On the other hand, for example, lack of sleep decreases focus and motivation, as well as memory. Self care also helps improve stress and anxiety levels, which will of course lead to being more productive. The bottom line is, the more you take care of yourself, the more you’ll be able to take care of work, other people, and anything else that is going on in your life.
It can be difficult to incorporate self care into your schedule when you’re always busy. The key to setting aside some time to yourself is: setting a schedule, and setting boundaries. When you set your schedule, block out time for your important and time sensitive tasks. Then schedule short breaks throughout the day to step away for a moment. Try meditating, taking a walk, or take a couple minutes to read. You could also take the time to catch up with a friend, or any other activity that helps you destress for a minute. As for setting boundaries, don’t be afraid to say no. If you previously made plans with your family and work calls, set the boundary and say no to work.
It’s important to take care of ourselves, especially during times like today. It’s okay to step away for a moment and do what you need to do to decrease stress and anxiety. The less stress you feel, the more productive you will ultimately be.