Are you on the edge of burnout every few months?

Finding it hard to sustain your energy levels?

Are you in an emotional or creative drought?

You might have been pouring in all the cups in your life besides your own. It’s scary how quickly we can forget about ourselves. And before you know it you’ve run out of the emotional and mental resources to be your best self.

These 8 Self-care practices for the busy woman will allow you to show up to your life in a most sustainable and authentic way.

Self Care is a Game-Changer

Every goal, commitment, and aspiration is achieved and experienced ten-fold when you are able to be present in your life.

This level of presence comes from actively showing up for yourself FIRST. When things are bad or when they’re good, self-care is the daily promise you keep to yourself, no matter what. It’s what you fall back on each and every day and is a gentle and reliable reminder that you are whole and complete.

Your outer world is a direct reflection of your inner world and self-care is the maintenance of that inner world.

Sometimes self-care this looks like 15-minutes of meditation, sometimes it’s an entire day of doing the most soul-fulfilling activities. Eventually, self-care becomes a part of you and is seen in how you show up to your relationships, career, and life as a whole.

And though these are my most promising tips, self-care is deeply personal and should be adjusted to your needs.

After all, self-care is created by you, for you.

#1 Ask For Help

I’m starting with the toughest self-care practice of them all--to ask for help. I know that as superwoman, you’re inclined to do it all alone. But psst, hey. You don’t have to! Every superhero has a sidekick or a team.

Calling in for backup isn’t just great for your mental health, it’s strategic for accomplishing more. It allows you to pour more into the things that require more of your energy and generates a strong network of people you can rely on. Don’t be stubborn. Take care of yourself by prioritising what you absolutely have to do on your own and grant yourself permission to get assistance with the rest.

#2 Meal Prep

Choosing what you’re going to eat and managing time to get in the kitchen takes up a huge chunk of energy. Do yourself a favour by prepping nutritious meals ahead of time. Meal prepping helps keep your health goals in check and saves you from having to make 3 extra decisions a day. Not to mention the time you’ll save that can be used to apply these other practices.

#3 Routine Self Check-Ins

Did that Skype meeting not go as planned? Late to an important presentation? Creatively stumped? So many annoyances and inconveniences can happen in a day and we don’t address the emotions that arise from them.

It’s okay to be frustrated, sad, discouraged and lost. What’s not okay is numbing or ignoring those feelings.

Take time at night to cleanse your heart and mind of what’s happened. Recognise your emotions and self-soothe. Journaling is great for this. Or in a pinch, put two hands on your heart, close your eyes and simply say “I see you”. Checking in on yourself throughout the day is so simple and incredible for renewing your spirit.

#4 Playlist Power

Emotions can also get stuck in the body, so you know what you have to do, right? Move it! That’s right-we’re dancing ladies. Create a go-to playlist that makes you want to move. If you’re stuck at a desk, choose uplifting songs, spin your ring, or just bob your head.

Maybe it’s the lyrics or the beat drop, but something about the right song can turn your day around, boost your motivation, inspire creativity, or simply grant you permission to let loose. Music is absolute magic and can shift your energy if you let it.

 Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

 #5 Redirect Anxiety

Sometimes it arises without warning and other times you can feel it slowly start to creep up. Just like I mentioned in your routine self check-ins, don’t ignore your anxiety, just redirect it. Research has shown that rapid stress management techniques can soothe anxiety and stress by up to 50%. And that’s sort of our specialty here at Hey Luna.

The chicest fidget spinner in the market does more than dazzle and dress up your fit. By keeping your fingers busy, your mind redirects the physical manifestation of anxiety into the single, unnoticeable spinning of your ring.

This repetitive motion can keep you from feeling like your about to jump out of your skin, creates better focus, and empowers you to push through an uncomfortable situation like the boss that you are.

#6 Meditate

I know, I know--meditation is on every self-care list ever. But that’s probably because there’s something to it.

You can meditate anywhere. At home, in nature, even in the office bathroom. All it takes is a few deep breaths. You might want to free yourself from thought or adjust your mood with the help of affirmation or mantras.

And while meditating on the go works wonders, there’s nothing like sinking deep into your practice 20, 30, or even 60 minutes in a day. Among the dozens of benefits, deep meditation can allow you to observe your thoughts, calms the nervous system, can trigger a spiritual awakening, and creates space in your mind and heart that helps you respond instead of reacting to life. 10 out of 10 recommend.

#7 Exercise

The moment you shift your feelings about exercise, miracles happen. It’s no longer about losing weight or fitting into your skinny jeans, it’s about honouring your body’s need to move.

Sometimes self-care comes in a song or a prayer, and sometimes it’s your old sneakers hitting the pavement and sweat dripping down your forehead. Boss-up, lace-up, and enjoy the therapeutic high of testing your body’s limits.

#8 Learn to Say No

Did you know that people-pleasing and saying “yes” to everyone is a trauma response referred to as over-functioning? It’s the mind putting others’ needs on a pedestal and putting our own on the back-burner in order to gain approval.

When you practice self-care regularly, you will understand how much more fulfilling and healing it is to protect your own peace and energy. And it makes saying “no” a lot easier to do. No to an event you really don’t want to attend. No to the responsibility you can’t take on. No to anything that doesn’t serve your highest good. Just, no. 

Photo by Vie Studio from Pexels

Keep This Promise to Yourself 

As you can see, self-care goes beyond face masks and bubble baths. It’s the daily promise you make to stay grounded, to honour your own needs, and prioritise your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. You deserve that.