How to Take Care of Yourself

Taking care of yourself is important, but not to the point of overwhelming you. Learn how to take control of your physical, mental, and emotional health so you can enjoy life more fully and reduce your risk of future health problems. By doing things like getting enough sleep, setting healthy limits, you’ll be satisfied with the rate at which your quality of life is changing after prioritizing your health.

Table of Contents

Pay attention to mental and emotional needs

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Take time to “check in” with yourself each day. If you enjoy journaling or making lists, take a few minutes at the end of the day to reflect on the good things, your feelings, and the things that bother you. If you don’t like writing, you can take a few minutes to sit quietly and think about what happened during the day. Here are the questions you should ask yourself: ^{[1] X Research Sources}

What makes you happiest today?
What are the positive things in your life?
What am I hesitating or procrastinating?
If I had time, what would I do?
Are there any negative things that I can remove from my life?

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Add more joy to your life to feel more fulfilled. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, focus on what you have. Try to collect good things every day; You can even make a “joy list” to capture the fun moments of the day. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Besides, you need to spend time doing things that bring you joy, such as listening to music, dancing, cooking, reading, taking yoga classes. Make these things a priority so that each day is filled with activities that create joy.
Likewise, smiling every day is also a way to improve emotional health. Surround yourself with people who make you laugh or or watch funny movies or stand-up comedies to help get yourself into laughter therapy.

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Set time and space limits so you can take care of yourself. It could be a limit between you and others, or a limit set up for the sake of protecting your time so you can take care of yourself. Here are some popular ways to help you set healthy limits in your life: ^{[3] X Research Source}

Manage stress at work by checking email twice a day instead of constantly paying attention to new mail notifications.
Turn off your phone when you’re with loved ones so you can focus on what’s going on in the present.
Keep your distance from people who are emotionally dependent and take advantage of you.
Remind friends to text or call before coming to see you instead of coming unexpectedly.

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Learn to say “no” so you don’t waste too much of your time. When someone asks you to do something, take a minute to listen to your intuition and check your schedule to see if you should accept it. If you can’t help, you can say, “Thanks for remembering me, but I can’t accept it this time” or “I wish I could help you, but I’ll be really busy for the next two weeks. “. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

One question you should ask yourself before committing to something is: “If I took this opportunity, what would I have to give up?”

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Reduce stress in your life so you can enjoy life. Chronic stress can affect physical, mental, and emotional health. To relieve stress, you also need to take care of your body, such as exercising or getting a massage. Besides, you can meditate, stay away from stressful situations, or learn to manage time. ^{[5] X Cleveland Clinic Trusted Source Go to Source}

For example, if you are often stressed about being late, set a timer 10 minutes before you need to leave the house.
You may not always be able to get out of a stressful situation; So focus on what’s in your control. For example, you can’t quit a stressful job, but you can set limits so the work doesn’t take up too much of your time.

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Connect with friends regularly to build a strong support network. Relationships are important to your physical and emotional health, so don’t neglect your friends even when life gets hectic. Stay in touch with many people, chat on the phone or meet in person, and in turn share, listen, and have fun together. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

If it’s hard for you to meet your friends because of your busy school/work schedule, text or call to let them know you think of them and want to connect. You can schedule a breakfast date before you go to work or even do chores or assignments together.

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Learn new things to keep your mind happy. An eager and challenged mind is healthier than a bored mind. Start a new hobby, learn a new language, travel somewhere you’ve never been, sign up for a class at an educational center near your home, work out at the gym, or do something you’ve always been. care about. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

The internet is a great resource to help you learn new things. You can find blogs, videos, websites, and manuals that do almost anything you want.
If you start learning something new and feel uninterested, that’s okay! Don’t constantly push yourself. Let go and focus on something else.

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Talk to yourself in a kind way to create positive outcomes. Pay attention to what the little voice in your head is trying to tell you – often not easy to hear! Self-doubt, insecurity, and self-loathing are normal things that people experience all the time. Identify the words you are saying to yourself and about yourself, and replace them with positive affirmations. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

For example, if you think to yourself, “I’m stupid, I can’t do this,” try changing your mind to “Difficulty is normal, and I can do difficult things.”
If you say bad things about yourself and your personality, try focusing on what you love or want to love about yourself. For example, instead of saying “I’m both fat and ugly,” say, “My body can do amazing things and I’m grateful for it.”
It will take a long time for you to stop saying negative things about yourself; So be patient with yourself. Small steps can really make a big change in your life.

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Stop using electronic devices to reduce stress and practice mindfulness. Constantly connecting with many people is both beneficial and harmful; Sometimes, it’s better to disconnect, regain balance, and connect with the world around you. Try “disconnecting” for a certain day or period by turning off your phone, turning off the TV, and closing your laptop. Your mind will begin to relax and you will also gradually feel that previous blockages are easier to handle than you thought. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You can also try “slight disconnection” by turning off your phone an hour before you go to bed each night and only turning it on an hour after you wake up in the morning.

Focus on taking care of your physical health

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Exercise 4-5 times per week for a healthy body. If you don’t already have a workout routine, add a few 30-minute workouts to your weekly schedule. You can do things you love like walking, jogging, biking, weightlifting, swimming, or playing a group sport. Your body will gradually get stronger, and endorphins will also improve your emotional health. ^{[11] X Trusted Source HelpGuide Go to source}

If you find it difficult to make time for exercise, try adding this activity to your personal calendar to keep it fixed. You should treat your workout time like a date with someone or an important meeting.

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Hydrate your body by drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day. Water brings so many benefits to the body! You need to drink enough water each day for your body’s parts to work more efficiently, for your skin to look healthy, and for you to stay energized and alert. ^{[12] X Trusted Source FamilyDoctor.org Go to source}

Try drinking a glass of water every morning when you wake up to start your daily routine.

Tip: Download a water-tracking app on your phone to know how much water you drink each day. This will help you determine when to drink less water.

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Try to get enough sleep to keep your body in top shape. Teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep each night; People over 18 years old should sleep enough 7-9 hours. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to form a habit. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Set a timer about 30 minutes before bedtime. When you hear the alarm, you will turn off all electronic devices and do the necessary things before going to bed so that your mind and body begin to relax.
Create a dark and cool space in your bedroom so you can get a good night’s sleep.

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Take time to rest when your body is tired. It’s completely normal for you to feel pressured and try to be productive even when your body tells you you need to rest. When you’re feeling exhausted, it’s a good idea to actively take the time to rest, whether it’s canceling an evening to relax at home or scheduling an “unplanned” day. ^{[14] X Research Source}

If you push yourself when your body needs rest, the function of the immune system will decrease, making the body sick. What’s more, a tired body and mind won’t be able to function as efficiently as they would with adequate rest.

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Maintain personal hygiene so you feel better inside and out. Good personal hygiene habits help you avoid future health problems. Try to practice the following personal hygiene practices every day: ^{[15] X Research Source}

Oral hygiene: Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss once a day, and have a yearly dental check-up.
Body hygiene: Shower and use deodorant every day.
Hand hygiene: Wash your hands after using the toilet, touching dirty areas, and before and after handling food.

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Pamper yourself with a special care routine. Using hair and skin masks, manicures and pedicures, relaxing baths, spas, massages and the like are all great ways to relax the mind and body. . You can make an appointment with a specialist, or enjoy it at home. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Try doing something special for yourself once a week so you can feel the excitement.

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Avoid unhealthy habits, such as smoking and drinking, to make you feel better. If you want to kick a bad habit, start by listing the reasons why you want to stop doing it. Work on each habit in turn, and try replacing the bad habit with something good for you. ^{[17] X Research Source}

For example, instead of going out for a cigarette to relax, you’ll take that 5-10 minute break for a walk. Or, try drinking an extra glass of water after each glass of wine/beer to avoid consuming too much alcohol.
If you’re addicted, talk to a professional for specific ways to help you quit.

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Take care of your body by eating healthy. Instead of categorizing foods as “good” or “bad,” you should focus on eating foods that make you feel good. Usually, the addition of fruits, vegetables, protein and calcium helps the body function better. If you have allergies or have to avoid certain foods, be aware of these. ^{[18] X Trusted Source HelpGuide Go to source}

If you’re having trouble getting the food you want, try planning your meals for the week. Write down what you want to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, then go grocery shopping so you have everything you need.
Remember that there’s nothing wrong with wanting a snack, whether it’s a greasy burger or a delicious piece of chocolate cake. You just need to balance snacks with healthy options so your body doesn’t become sluggish.

Advice

Take care of yourself when you can. If you have 15 minutes to spare, take a walk around the neighborhood or enjoy a cup of tea. That way, you’ve got some time to take care of yourself even on busy days.

Steps

Pay attention to mental and emotional needs

Focus on taking care of your physical health

Advice

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