By Books Author Denise Turney

Smart self-care choices could protect you from burnout, frustration or depression. Selfcare is more than a buzzword. In fact, if you grew up taking care of yourself because one or more of your parents was missing or chronically ill, you know that no one is going to look out for you better than you can. It’s not just that you know your thoughts, emotions, fears and passions best, you’re the only one who’s always with you.

Putting Smart Self-Care Choices in Action

Today’s busy, at times downright hectic, world requires self care at home and self care at work. But, how can you find the time to practice daily self care? A good start is to be honest with yourself.

Be honest about how you feel. For example, as part of daily self-care acknowledge when you feel tired, exhausted, confused, disillusioned, afraid, alone, helpless or outraged. Also, acknowledge when you feel peace, joy, love, safe, hopeful, encouraged, motivated and inspired.

It’s hard to take action on what you don’t acknowledge. Other examples of self-care include:

• Slowing down and resting before you go to bed so you can restore yourself with a good night of deep sleep. Meditating before bed, ending work at least an hour prior to bed and reading a good, light book can inspire deep sleep.
• Trusting inner guidance and opening yourself to healthy relationships, not abusive relationships.
• Getting outdoors in natural sunlight every day for at least 45 straight minutes. Use sunscreen to protect your skin. Vitamin D from natural sunlight may improve mood. In fact, getting outdoors may be one of the easiest things to do for self-care.

More Smart Self-Care Choices

• Connect with family and friends every day for emotional self-care.
• Eat a healthy diet of green, leafy vegetables and fresh fruit. After all, taking care of yourself involves your whole self.
• Express your thoughts and emotions in a safe place. Examples of self-care expression include writing feelings, thoughts and dreams in a journal, singing, dancing and painting.
• Set clear boundaries to practice self-care in the workplace. For instance, you can set clear work start and end times. Also, to practice self-care at work, take regular breaks, enjoy your lunch away from your desk and speak up if you experience bullying or abuse of any kind.
• Spend time with friends during lunch at least once a month to practice self-care at work. It’s good to be alone. But you don’t want to overdo it.
• Listen to encouraging, uplifting music, podcast and radio shows. The same goes for books.

Above all, treat yourself like you’re the best friend you have. Remove yourself from verbal, physical, sexual or any other form of abuse. For emotional self-care, speak love to yourself.

For example, you could state kind facts about yourself in front of a mirror in the morning. You could also write down one good thing that you do each day and list it in your appreciation or gratitude journal. These are just a few self-care ideas that you could flip into healthy habits.