Filling Your Cup

You’re caring.

You set high standards for yourself.

You want to do it all and do it all well. Am I right?

Ever feel like you’re running on empty?

Well my friend, it’s time to fill your cup. (There’s a reason why airlines instruct passenger to put on their own oxygen mask first).

I’m here to remind you that you need (and deserve) to take time for self-care. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time but it needs to happen. Here are some important areas that go to the wayside all too often when we are busy.

• Sleep

Confession…I’m writing this blog post and it’s way past my bedtime…so this is one of MY goals.

Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep. We all know how we feel in the morning when our alarms go off. Try setting your bedtime slightly earlier and sticking with it. See if you feel more energetic and less stressed. I’ll bet anything, you will. This advice may seem obvious but many of us (myself included) need the reminder!

• Smart Meals

Let’s start with meal planning. Say what? Meal planning is supposed to make us feel relaxed?  (I’m a planner so I’ll admit this little chore does put my mind at ease).

While meal planning is yet another thing we have to do, let it reduces stress throughout the week. You may even wish to cook ahead of time on Sunday to have some prepared meals.

You can take short cuts too. You can try:

• Healthy Slow-Cooker Meals 
• Quick and Easy Recipes
• Pre-assembling healthy snacks (e.g. carrot sticks, hummus, grapes, berries etc).
• A time-saving food services such as Hello Fresh or Blue Apron (I have not tried these personally but have heard good things about them).
• Grocery delivery service

This also ties into taking TIME to eat. Quality time at the table is a definite act of self-care. Try to avoid scarfing food down while you do a million other things. If you can, simply stop, relax and enjoy your food slowly. Better yet, unplug and enjoy it with people you love whenever you can.

• 10 Minute Recharge

Time may not be available to you in high quantities, but it can be high quality. Whether it be taking 10 minutes to close your eyes, sip on your favorite drink, look at favorite photos on your smartphone or doodle, it can make a difference.

• Resist Perfectionism

We all want to be stellar but just remember that you already are. Mary Poppins famously said “good enough is a feast.” It’s okay if what you do is “good enough” and not “perfect.” Be kind to yourself. No one is perfect!

• Pretty Office Supplies

Did this make you smile? But really. Organization brings down stress. Pretty office supplies make organization fun. Go to Staples or the Container Store and treat yourself. You know you agree with me!

• Reward Yourself

Don’t feel guilty about pampering yourself a bit. Give yourself a boost now and then. Buy those shoes, get your hair done, drink a fancy iced latte! It doesn’t have to break the bank. A little goes a long way!

• Mindfulness

It’s hard to avoid getting caught up in our to-do list and what will happen next. We also sometimes get stuck thinking about things that happened in the past. Just pause. Breathe. Focus on now.

Listen to music, Doodle. Color. Look at nature’s beauty which is always there waiting for you to enjoy.

You’ve got this, my friends! I hope this inspires you to fill your cup and bring more acts of self-care into your day. You certainly deserve some extra kindness.

Anything else you’d add to this list? Please share in comments!