How to Take Care of Your Spirit
Mental Wellness through Intellectual Self-Care
What is professional self-care?
Action Steps to Practice Professional Self-CareHere are some tips and tricks:
1. Employee growth and development: Work is about gaining experience, learning new things, interacting with colleagues, expanding one’s horizons. 2. Look for self-actualization: Find and activate your purpose, values and goals. Try to remember what gives you passion, what makes you feel alive, or talk with your friend about what matters to you in life and career. 3. Practice Healthy Habits: Prioritize healthy eating by packing lunches and snacks, stay hydrated, take regular breaks and incorporate exercise, maintain good posture, and practice stress management technique 4. Does your job feel like you do or can accomplish something significant? If not yet, can you find a way to get your personal accomplish. 5. See if your organization serves the society well and is in line with your own values. If you feel like it isn’t really the case, you may support extra activities in your organization such as volunteering with your team for a good cause, or starting internal program for employee development in the company. 6. Feeling like being part of a community can enhance meaningfulness in doing your work. Winter Blues 101 & Ways to ManageWe are at the time of the year where it feels like winter can drag on forever. "Winter blues" typically happen every now and then during the colder months. You may feel sad or want to stay home. For example, you decide to cancel social plans to stay home and you may just want to hunker down inside more and not be around others. This can take a toll on our mental health on top of cold temperatures and darker days. Shorter days seem to be a main trigger for depressive symptoms in winter. Reduced sunlight in winter can disrupt your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. This “master clock” responds to cues in your surroundings, especially light and darkness. During the day, your brain sends signals to parts of the body to help keep you awake and ready for action. At night, the brain produces the chemical, melatonin, which helps you sleep. Shortened daylight hours in winter can alter this natural rhythm and lead to depressive symptoms.
The Gift of Self-CareThe holiday season, with its twinkling lights and festive cheer, is often seen as a time of happiness and celebration. But many of us know it can also bring stress and pressure. From planning family gatherings to managing financial concerns, the demands of the season can be overwhelming. Focusing on self-care is essential for nurturing your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. The holidays, while sometimes joyous, can also be filled with stressors like social obligations, financial strain, and the emotional weight of personal or familial expectations. These pressures can take a toll on our wellbeing, making us feel overwhelmed and drained. Self-care can provide a buffer, helping us manage these pressures in healthier ways. Incorporating self-care practices into your holiday routine can help you have a more relaxed, enjoyable, and meaningful season. Self-care is not about perfection, it's about making small, mindful choices to take better care of yourself, especially during the busy holiday period. Ten Tips & Tricks
How does self-care help relationships? Neglecting self-care can erode the intimacy and connection within a relationship. When we are constantly running on empty, it becomes challenging to show up fully for our partners. We may find ourselves emotionally unavailable, easily irritable, or lacking the energy to engage in meaningful conversations or activities. By prioritizing self-care, we replenish our own emotional reserves, allowing us to be more present and engaged in our relationships. Self-care is important in intimate relationships, and it can include activities by yourself as well as activities with your partner. An important element to keep in mind is that taking time for yourself should not be seen as a threat to your relationship. Finding the balance between separateness and togetherness is an essential endeavor for anyone in an intimate relationship. We need time to ourselves, and the freedom to pursue our own interests. Self-care activities are flexible in that they can be done solo or together, so tailor them to work for your unique relationship. By nurturing our own needs, we create a positive ripple effect that enhances the overall quality of our partnerships. Self-care also allows us to prioritize our own needs, therefore we are better able to communicate and enforce boundaries that protect our well-being. This, in turn, fosters a sense of respect and understanding between partners, as boundaries enable us to show up authentically and maintain our individuality within the partnership.
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