Alexia Unplugged

Making time for self care is hard. The world is busier and more stressful than ever. We all have our own obligations and responsibilities to our job, education, family, kids, friends… the list goes on. But self care is most important when life becomes overwhelming and the outlook seems bleak. Here are 5 simple ways to take care of yourself and reconnect even when you might not want to.

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1. Take a Media Break

I know, this is in every self care handbook out there. But I don’t just mean social media, I mean all online media. We receive so much information every time we open our news app or our social media accounts, and a lot of it just gives us psychic damage. We were never meant to know so much.

So scrolling for a while after you get home from work or during your commute can feel like second nature, but the scroll keeps life dull. It’s okay to take an intentional break. Think of what you can do with the hours you spend on your phone. You could read a book, go for a walk, or pick up a new hobby (more on that later). Even if the alternative is just staring out the window, trust me, your brain will thank you later.

2. Set Aside Intentional Time for Yourself

Speaking of intent, our lives are so busy! There is so much to do, and there’s never enough time to do it. Especially now, with increasing uncertainty in everything from personal economics to global politics, life can feel hopeless. Like you need to constantly do Things in order to be worthy of rest.

Set aside an hour or two during the day to just sit, journal, scroll on Pinterest, do yoga, watch an episode or two of Avatar: The Last Airbender (or any other favorite comfort show). Make time to do whatever you like to do to calm down and stop thinking about all the Things on your to do list.

3. Try a New Hobby

When you’re just focused on the grind, life can feel monotonous: get up, go to work, come home, scroll socials or watch your show. It can be really tempting to just be a zombie until bedtime when you’re tired from a long day. But I promise, picking up a hobby or two will change your life. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.

Even something as simple as doing a puzzle, picking up hand embroidery, or playing video games can help you bring a sense of whimsy back into your life. Activities(tm) every day can really help you feel productive and seeing the fruits of your labors is a great dopamine boost!

4. Drink Water, Eat Well, and Move

This is kind of a no-brainer, but it might be hard for you if you struggle with lack of motivation. Drink water as much as possible, even if needing to pee can feel a little inconvenient. Water will help you stay refreshed and can being properly hydrated can even stop you from having weird cravings (if you get those. I know I do)!

Eating fruits and vegetables, even ones that have been frozen, can help fend off that groggy, gross mouth feel that we sometimes get in the middle of the day, or when we’re really hungry. Plus, they’re good for your brain!

And maybe the hardest part (or the easiest, I don’t know your life), make sure you get some movement in! Do a little stretch. Take a walk in a park. Jump up and down. Break out your Just Dance from 2014. Do anything to get yourself moving instead of rotting in bed or sitting at your desk all day.

It might seem trivial, or stupid, or useless, but it’s backed by science. Low-intensity exercise has been shown to actually make you less tired and boost productivity. Another study even suggests that yoga helps make people less stressed out! Take it from a chronic desk-sitting gamer, moving around for a few minutes will make you feel worlds better.

5. Hang Out with the Homies

Scheduling is hard. People have jobs, families, and their own struggles with going out, plus everyone’s finances seem to be in shambles these days. And if you’re like me, staying in your nice cozy home probably sounds a lot better than braving the elements to hang out with people.

But alas, we are social creatures who thrive when we spend time with people we love. Even if we aren’t meeting people in real life, we can still make time to show our community that we care. I’m contradicting my first point here when I say that in the absence of opportunity to meet your people in real life, online versions like playing a game together or even a simple phone call can suffice in a pinch. Just… get yourself out there!!

Taking care of yourself is the best way to get stuff done and be the best, most productive you. Self care often gets put on the back burner because we don’t consider it to be “productive,” but we really should emphasize it more and take care of ourselves as often and consistently as we can!