Swing Into Self-Care
When I think of June, I think about the beginning of summer. Summer reminds me of being carefree and playing on a playground. When I was a kid I especially enjoyed swinging on a swing. The lightness and ease I felt when swinging were refreshing to my soul. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, swinging was a form of self-care for me. Many, many, many years later I still enjoy swinging. I actually have an adult-sized swing at home.
A fun fact I recently learned is that June also marks the beginning of “Self-Care Month.” Specifically, “Self-Care Month” begins on June 24th and ends on July 24th, which is recognized as International Self-Care Day. This symbolic time frame and day was selected to remind us that self-care should be practiced 24/7.
As adults, most of us don’t get to play on the playground and swing like we did as kids. Since much of our days are spent in the workplace here are 10 ways you can swing into self-care on the job.
1. Ergonomic Workspace: Ensure your workstation is ergonomically set up to prevent strain and injury. Use a supportive chair, adjust your monitor to eye level, and keep your keyboard and mouse at a comfortable height.
2. Exposure to Nature: If possible, get outside for a walk or bring elements of nature into your workspace. I have numerous real and fake plants (for the low-light areas) in my office space which help me feel like I am outside. I have also positioned my desk to face windows so I can look outside. I recently set up a Hummingbird feeder outside one of my windows to watch birds come and go.
3. Create a Positive Environment: Personalize your workspace with items that bring you joy or relaxation like photos, inspirational quotes, or mementos of happy occasions in your life. I keep a lavender pouch handy and give it a sniff when I need to unwind.
4. Regular Breaks: Take short, frequent breaks to rest your eyes, move around, and stretch. The Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break) is effective for many people. This month’s Express Desk Stretch has various techniques to swing your body to rejuvenate and reenergize. Check it out here.
5. Hydration and Nutrition: Keep a water bottle at your desk, stay hydrated, and snack on healthy foods. My water bottle has stickers that remind me of things that make me happy. So, when I take a sip of water I also get a sip of joy. I keep a supply of nuts at my desk which helps me feel more satiated than a candy bar and the protein helps my brain work better.
6. Be Still: Use one of your 5-minute breaks to practice a short meditation or breathing exercise. It will help reduce stress and increase focus. Many great apps can help you with this. I use Calm and Insight Timer for my daily meditations. My monthly Express Desk Stretch videos always have a 1–2-minute breathing exercise at the end. That can help you get more present and, therefore, focused.
7. Positive Affirmations: Use positive self-talk to boost your confidence and reduce anxiety. A mantra I regularly say when I feel unsure of myself is “I am confident, competent, and capable.” Saying it out loud helps to counteract the negative voices in my head.
8. Set Boundaries: Clearly define your working hours and try to stick to them. Avoid checking work emails or messages during off-hours unless absolutely necessary. There is a lot of power in disconnecting.
9. Declutter: Keep your workspace clean and organized. A tidy environment can reduce stress and increase productivity. I find it especially helpful to neaten things up at the end of the day so the beginning of the next day feels more orderly.
10. Reflect on Your Day: At the end of each day, take a few minutes to reflect on what went well and what could be improved. I also like to create my TO DO list for the next day so I don’t have to ruminate on it in my head while trying to relax with family and friends.
Implementing these self-care practices can help create a healthier, more balanced, and more productive work environment for you and your colleagues. If you lead a team or an organization, model this behavior yourself and your employees will start to practice it as well. You may be amazed at the difference it can make with your team, your company, and ultimately your bottom line.
At WorkFlowGrow we help organizations improve culture, reduce stress, build resiliency, increase productivity, enhance communication, decrease turnover and absenteeism, and create growth in individuals, teams, and organizations. Email me at anita@WorkFlowGrow.com if we can help you solve any of these problems.