5 ways to take care of yourself at work and at home

Self-care is one of the key components of overall performance. Taking care of yourself is no longer a luxury - now it's part of the job. So what is self-care and how to practice it? We find out with the book “HBR Guide. Life balance. ”

To begin with, we expand the definition of self-care. The basis of self-care is your relationship with your "I". In other words, you feel and understand what you need to be creative, effective, and a true self. That is why instead of narrowly defining self-care as exclusively physical health (although this is also an important component), you need to pay attention to other indicators: care about your mind, emotions, relationships, environment, time and resources.

Give up the word "need"
Taking care of yourself may seem intimidating or unattainable. But the goal is not to add something else to an already full plate, search https://topessaycompanies.com/ or to create an excuse for self-flagellation. Or to create an excuse for self-flagellation.

Add self-care to your daily activities. Instead of engaging in self-care “out of work”, it is important to naturally “weave” it into your work day.

Take a break
Often our most severe critic is ourselves. When you shrink under the weight of responsibility or a perfectionist awakens in you, ask yourself: “What would I say to a colleague or friend in a similar situation?”

Studies by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson have shown that for the benefits of working and learning in groups, both responsibility and psychological safety are needed. By restraining your internal criticism, you will create the right psychological conditions and go through periods of reflection or self-doubt more quickly.

Appreciate time, money and resources
During the working day, colleagues and other people often ask us to devote time or other resources to them, distracting from more significant matters. That is why it is important to take 15 minutes each morning to write down the three things you want to do on that day. Before reflexively-automatically agreeing to the next request sent to your address, weigh your priorities.

Take the lap of honor
What did you do last week? Many of us do not even remember this, because, having finished work or having survived the crisis, we immediately proceeded to the next stage. Take your time - arrange a break for yourself and your team to look back at the past month or quarter and name or write down everything that went well or was especially pleasant. Such a report will help you maintain your enthusiasm and capture valuable input and actions in your memory.

Recharge and reboot
Keep track of your energy level. For most busy professionals, eight hours of sleep every night is (unfortunately) unrealistic. But it’s very important to at least try to “refuel” your “fuel tank” during the week, so take the necessary time on Wednesday or Thursday to get enough sleep. Equally important is to integrate recovery breaks into your work day. For example, try to plan more meetings, walks or make it a rule to have lunch with a colleague or friend outside the workplace.

And further. Do not forget to monitor the continuity of self-care. In times of stress, self-care can be relegated to the background. Pay attention when you lose touch with your true self.