As a blogger, apart from taking care of your blogs, you may have a million other things that scream for your attention, such as a full-time job, family, friends, and other commitments. By the end of the day, you want to grab whatever you can to fill your stomach, then sleep for a few hours before the busy cycle starts again. What happens is, you will be taking care of everything and everyone else apart from yourself.
Taking care of yourself improves your mental, physical and emotional health. You will be more productive, happier, and at peace with who you are. Here are simple self-care tips for bloggers.
Understand What Works for You
What would you do that will make you feel refreshed, nurtured, and energized? Is it some time alone, a walk, time with friends, a hot bath, or a visit to your favorite massage parlor? The things that energize or nurture you may change depending on your mood, or season but it’s essential to listen to your inner self and pay close attention to what you need versus what ought to be accomplished.
Set Realistic Goals
You may have a lot to accomplish in just 24 hours, but with proper planning, which includes setting realistic daily goals, you will be able to follow a workable routine. You will accomplish more, and the remaining tasks can be pushed to the next day. Before you go to bed, have a ready schedule for the following day. Take a few minutes to go through the plan to ensure you know what you need to do when you wake up. You will avoid burnout doing unimportant things, which happens when you don’t have a proper plan.
Have Me Time
Every day, you should schedule some alone time when you can focus on yourself. The best time is at the end of the day when you have accomplished most of your obligations. For about an hour or more, focus on yourself and things that help you relax and unwind. You can take a walk, read a book, meditate, or play a game but most importantly, let the time be enjoyable and something to look forward to. The more you enjoy time alone, the happier and more recharged you will be for the tasks ahead.
Pamper Yourself
Don’t feel guilty about doing things that you love. Would time away with friends make you feel pampered, or would a bubble bath with soft music as you sip your favorite wine do the trick? Pampering yourself helps you appreciate all the effort you put in to be where you are and at the same time energizes you for the tasks ahead.
Create Time for Fun
Time with friends and loved ones is important. Schedule some time away with those you love doing things you like, such as partying, hiking, visiting exciting places, or just a romantic night out with a special person. It will not only refresh you but will ensure your emotional wellbeing is nurtured. Once a week or month, plan fun activities with loved ones that strengthen your relationship.
Create an Exercise Routine
Bloggers spend a considerable amount of their time sitting down. Inactivity can lead to health issues such as obesity and lifestyle diseases, including high blood pressure, heart problems, and diabetes. To avoid this, schedule some time every day for an exercise routine. You can join a gym or invest in a treadmill or try out that exercise routine you have always wanted, such as yoga. Make sure you are up and moving for at least half an hour every day.
Take Care of Your Body
Your body needs to be taken care of as you work. This means investing in the right work equipment such as a comfortable workstation, including a well-posed chair and a good computer. Bloggers sit for many hours; therefore, they should protect their back and eyes. A good chair ensures the back is well supported while a good computer and lighting protect your eyes. For quality eye care, visit website for a consultation. Also, make sure you go for regular medical checks.
Eat Healthily
Busy bloggers may be tempted to pick whatever that’s available when they are hungry. They don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal resulting in takeaways or ordering meals from restaurants. This may lead to health problems such as high blood pressure and uncontrolled weight gain. Make sure you eat healthy meals most of the time. Include a lot of vegetables, fruits, and water in your diet. When you eat healthy meals, you will be strong, energetic and fall ill less often. Create time every day to prepare sumptuous but healthy meals, but go out to your favorite eating place once in a while.
Get Out of the House More Often
If you work from home, the most challenging task may be getting time to step out of your house for fresh air, to meet people, or enjoy the surroundings. It’s natural for bloggers to be hooked to their computers for days without leaving the house. This is unhealthy and can lead to burnout. Distract your mind from the usual tasks by taking a walk in the neighborhood, working from a restaurant or the park. The change of environment is not only healthy but will rejuvenate you.
Prioritize
After setting your goals, you need to prioritize. You don’t have to do everything but understand what’s essential and what can wait. Also, when you can, delegate. This ensures that all tasks are performed, but you don’t get tired of doing it all alone. In the to-do list, have the list of essential tasks, then another list of things that are not a priority. If you have enough time after taking care of the essentials, you can choose a few tasks from the other list. For instance, you don’t have to go through all your social media platforms unless you have time after taking care of the crucial tasks.
Have a Digital Detox
With time, bloggers get attached to their gadgets and spend most of their time on their phones or computers. It’s critical to learn how to reduce the amount of unproductive time spent on the computer. Once in a while, hand over all your gadgets to a friend or relative for a week and concentrate on loved ones or have fun away from work commitments. During the detox period, come up with ways that can help you spend more meaningful time with your gadgets and at the same time nurture hobbies or relationships. A digital detox also helps you set online boundaries. It will be easier to set time away from social media and your blogs. It’s also important to let your clients know that you are not available, probably on weekends and holidays when you can relax and recharge.
Set Phone Boundaries
You don’t have to answer every phone call or return every message. While working, you can keep your phone away, probably in another room, or have the self-control only to pick important phone calls such as from close family members. Schedule some time during the day when you can return calls or messages. When having your alone time, don’t carry your phone with you. This should also be the case when spending time with family and friends. Phones can easily distract or make you unintentionally have your mind back to work commitments when you need to relax.
It’s easy to get carried away with the daily obligations, but prioritizing self-care ensures you are at your best all the time. You will achieve more, lead a balanced life, and be happier when you take better care of yourself.