Self-care is beyond a glass of wine in a tub of warm water and bubbles. We break down taking care of yourself into bite-sized pieces to ensure a holistic and sustainable way of caring for yourself.

It’s crunch time. 

As the pressure presses in during the final push as the year concludes, it’s too easy to let go and drown in the work and before you know it, you’ve burnt out.

While the concept of self-care has been around for a long time, its meaning slowly eroded to become shallow and niche. In this century, self-care holds two separate meanings – the necessary mental and emotional protection for those in the healthcare industry, and the more superficial dream of Yankee candles, manicures and staycations. 

An analytical journal published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information sought to outline responsibilities and a clear definition of self-care. It concluded that self-care should return to its original meaning; an awareness and decision-making process for one’s individual health. 

Stressors are inevitable, and self-care is a necessity in building resilience and a higher threshold for dealing with them. Here are some ways you can check in with yourself: 

Feel a little – Emotional self-care

This aspect of self-care is very often neglected, suppressed or deemed unnecessary. However, growing your emotional intelligence can help strengthen you to deal with uncomfortable emotions, and even self-soothe in a healthy way when needed.

• Take breaks. We often forget that rest is not earned or deserved – it is an essential part to keep you going. It is difficult to give yourself time to take a break, especially when work is piled a mile high, but it doesn’t always have to be all or nothing. Five minutes to ground yourself, take a few deep breaths and center yourself can help to clear your mind and give your body a small reset before jumping back into work. 

• Build support systems. We’re social creatures, it’s not new news. Companionship can help to combat loneliness and thus reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and even depression. Fortifying these bonds can also save you on rainy days – when you don’t have the strength and energy to stand on your own, you know your support systems are in place to give you a shoulder. You are capable, but you don’t have to do it all alone. 

Body Language – Physical Self-Care

It’s hard to miss when you’re getting sick physically. And while we don’t have the exact numbers, it is a known fact that Asians are pretty avoidant of doctors. An apple a day might be a myth, but these preventative habits might actually keep the doctor away (for the most part): 

• Sleep can be elusive during busy periods in the year – working late, worrying about your to-do list, anxiety over results can keep you up at night.  Mechanisms of Association of Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome, published in 2019 in the Journal of Medical – Clinical Reviews and Research, found that coming out of sleep while in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep can cause increased fatigue during the day. Since each sleep cycle takes 90 minutes, count in 90-minute blocks and set the alarm for the closest block until you need to get up. You might hate that blaring alarm a little less if you’re waking up after completing a sleep cycle. Other habits to keep in mind are caffeine intake and also alcoholic consumption. Alcohol can keep you in deep sleep for longer, instead of REM sleep, which the body needs to recuperate.

• Adopt an exercise routine that is sustainable for you. Whether it is a 7-minute Youtube home workout, an hour gym session, or just a walk around the block,  keeping yourself active throughout the day will stimulate chemicals in your brain keeping you happier and more relaxed.

• Reduce sugar intake. Reaching for refined sugars is only natural. Sugar is a short-term antidote to pain – consuming refined sugars and carbohydrates releases mood-elevating endorphins and brain chemicals that temporarily alleviates pain. However, its overconsumption could also contribute to your stress. Your body releases sugars during stressful moments so you are ready for fight or flight. Feeding it too much sugar is telling your body that you are in stress mode. Keeping snacks such as dark chocolate, bananas, and oranges on hand can help make sure that the first thing you reach for is not anything processed. But we get it if you’re not much of a healthy foods person. Just keep in mind portions and consume your sugars in moderation so you’re not flooding your body with unnecessary stress.

Reaching Zen – Spiritual self-care

Cultivating a healthier lifestyle can also involve activities that encourage you to gain a deeper sense of meaning, and understanding one’s self. 

Sometimes things get a lot too quickly. It helps to put things in perspective – there are things outside of your job and some days we need those reminders. 

• Start a journal. Writing in a journal every day will help you reflect on your day and better express your thoughts and feelings in a healthy way. It helps to take stock of things that happen to you, good and bad. While not everything is about checks and balances, sometimes it’s helpful to physically see that there are positives happening around you. Journaling can be a way to do that. Journaling isn’t confined to just writing; some of us don’t express ourselves in the same way, and words don’t come easy. Journaling can take many forms: 
  • Art journaling for those are more artistically inclined to express themselves
  • Mood trackers are a good way to get in touch with how you’re feeling 
  • Mind-mapping can be useful in making you think of what you’re feeling and what is causing you to feel that way
  • Stream-of-consciousness journaling helps may be helpful when you’ve got a lot on your mind. Putting down everything you’re thinking of can help you to make sense of messy thoughts and emotions.
• Create your safe space. It can be a favourite park bench, a cafe, the library – anywhere that you feel comfortable for you to decompress when things get too overwhelming. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a place for rest, it’s a space where you can let your guard down so you can work in more comfort and peace, and be more focused on the tasks you need to complete.

Not sure where to start? Concierge By Quest is here to help!  

We take tedious errands off your hands, and would be more than happy to curate a self-care plan.

Here are a couple of ways Concierge By Quest can assist you:

• Plan your self-care day. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming about the Yankee candles, manicures and staycations. Just tell us what you like, and we will plan a relaxing self-care day for you!  
• Book classes for you. Tell us what you want to learn, and we will help you book your yoga class, physical training, even pottery workshops.
• Help with your work and personal errands such as planning company events or personal parties.

Chat to us, we’ll help you take care of yourself!