Pamper Yourself - You're Worth It!

by Beth McHugh | More from this Blogger

14 Mar 2006 04:50 PM

Feeling run down? Feeling unappreciated? Feeling depressed? Feeling anxious? Sounds like it's time you booked yourself in for a well-earned tune-up. Neglecting your physical health will ultimately lead to poor mental health, so check out the super pampering tips below to get you back into peak running order. Your mind will thank you for it!

1. Take time out for you Say goodbye to the guilt monster and make it a priority to take out some time for yourself every day. To busy, you say? Twenty minutes is plenty, and you deserve 20 minutes just for you each and every day. Be ruthless, both with yourself, and others. You need that time to re-energize so that you can keep giving to others. If others do not understand why you need time out, gently remind them that if you don't function, they won't function as well, either.

2. Treat yourself A little pampering goes a long way and that 20 minutes can be used to renew you, both in mind and spirit. Try 20 minutes of relaxation training, meditation, lying in a scented bath, doing a crossword in a quiet place, taking a walk alone, listening to calming music, praying, watching the clouds, lying in the sun, doing your nails, listening to the birds. Repeated every day, this 20 minute break can lead to great changes in your life; more energy, more peace, and more inner strength to cope with the stresses of daily life.

3. Learn time management It's pointless to take time "out", and then spend you "in" time running around like a crazed maniac. If you're always running out of time, learn to make lists. The time spent making the list will soon be recouped by increased efficiency. Divide your list into "must do" and "hope to do". This gets your priorities straight in your mind right from the start and helps you to distinguish what is important from what is less important and act accordingly. At the end of the day, you have a visible assessment of all that you have achieved and can go to sleep knowing that you have started to take control of your life.

4. Buy yourself a small treat each week. This should not be an extravagance that may lead to financial problems and more stress! Something simple, like an ice cream or any inexpensive item serves the purpose of reminding yourself that you deserve to be pampered, too.

When it comes to looking after your mental health, prevention is better than cure. And pampering yourself is not too difficult a medicine to take!

Learn more about Beth McHugh

Beth McHugh began her career as a geologist and worked both in industry and as a university researcher.

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Nicole Allard (882) 15 Mar 2006 01:03 AM

I like how you refer to it as a tune-up! That also brings me to the point that stress cannot be fixed with just a short vacation, relaxing bath, etc. It has to be a long-term thing. It has to be a commitement that you practice every day - every minute! Coping with stress with just a little tune-up every so often will temporarily relieve your stress, but it's going to come back. Learning how to cope with stress on a constant basis is best for you and your health. Believe it or not, it begins with learning to breath. Try looking up how to do deep breathing exercises. It's amazing what happens when you learn how to breath!

Beth McHugh (12962) 15 Mar 2006 08:15 AM

Nicole, for breathing exercises check out Learning to Relax (1) and (2), for general hints on a range of stress reduction techniques, click on Prevention. You'll find an ever-growing selection of articles there on this very topic!