My self-care framework for increased productivity and reduced anxiety
I thought I might do a more personal post here as we face such uncertain times. I’m one of the lucky people that can work from home. And from the freelance consultancy assignments that I do every now and then, I’m used to working and living in the same space.
It’s taken me quite a while to arrive what is best for my mental and physical health and I always refine my routine and I discover new practices.
Having this foundation for me helps me recharge, rest and that in return increase my focus, creativity and productivity. It’s no surprise all these aspects are linked together.
With that, I want to share my self-care tips for working from home and what works for me to stay sane, look after myself and at the same time get my work done. So I can come up with ideas to tackle these uncertain times ahead.
I have a routine
Mine is starting my day with meditation, yoga, a shower, get dressed and have breakfast while reading something inspirational. (Aka not follow the Corona news anymore).
I have working hours and I stick to them. So I have clear boundaries between work and free time.
I also have specific times for eating throughout the day. This may sound weird but as I love what I do I tend to get sucked into bigger projects and forget to eat it helps me ensure I get food into me. It also helps me to ensure I take into account that I have time slots to eat, between any scheduled meetings. Which right now can be quite a lot.
Meditation
I mentioned that and in my routine above and I want to digress a bit more. Meditating helps me distance myself and act rather than react. In times with this much stress and anxiety, it’s paramount that I stay on track with this.
You don’t have to take my word for it. Here are 12 scientifically proven effects of meditatin on the brain.
I water my brain
Its easier to concentrate with a well-hydraited brain and this is actually scientifically proven as well.
I feed my mind
During this specific time in history, due to Corona, we are being fed with so much news and quite horrific ones at that. Every.Day.
It’s also easy to get trapped in infinite apatic social media scrolling. That does not suit me so I aim to feed my brain good things such as listening to podcasts, reading books and inspirational articles. Or try to learn something new through Youtube or skillshare. So my mind is occupied with something meaningful.
I exercise
If you are allowed to go out on a walk, where you may be, do so. Otherwise, there are plenty of videos on youtube with workouts using no or minimal equipment.
For me, it’s crucial to move my body and not remain inactive for too long. It helps me stay focused and helps with my concentration. As well as I always come up with the best work-related solutions during a walk or a run.
I eat the right food for me
Food plays a huge part in performance both mental and physical for me (and that is basically true for everyone). I ensure I get the right food for me. Food that helps me keep an even energylevel throughout the day.
Sleep and rest
For me, sleep is a foundation that everything else just rests on. It improves everything from my concentration, to my mood, performance at the gym and my diet/food cravings.
Here is a great article on the benefits of sleep has on your mind.
Photo by Tim Goedhart on Unsplash