Self-care: the set of activities in which one engages throughout life on a daily basis, focusing on promoting health, preventing illness, and managing issues that come up.
Self-care is taking steps to tend to your physical and emotional health needs to the best of your ability. Here are some benefits to taking the time to focus on self-care:
1. Slowing down makes you more productive: Saying no to commitments that don’t serve you, carving out time in your day for yoga or coffee with a friend or simply taking a few deep breaths before a meeting bring us back to the present moment and help us to re-focus on what is TRULY important. If find your day going in circles make self-care a top priority. When you come back to your to do list you will find yourself more focused and productive.
2. Self-care improves your self-compassion: Self Compassion – being warm and understanding toward ourselves when we suffer, fail, or feel inadequate, rather than ignoring our pain or flagellating ourselves with self-criticism. When we start to treat ourselves with love and compassion we start to view the world differently, we start to view ourselves as part of the collective human experience rather than in isolation. The more you take care of yourself, the better you feel and the more self-compassion you will have.
3. Self-care will help boost your immune system: Taking your vitamins/supplements, getting lots of rest, exercising, practicing mindfulness and taking a hot bath all activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System. When you activate the PNS it puts your body into Rest & Restore mode, giving our bodies the chance to decompress from our hectic daily lives. The more we can incorporate these activities into our routines, the better we can cope with our frenzied lifestyle and gives the body the opportunity to build its defenses against those nasty bugs that like to attack when we’re at our weakest.
4. You’ll find out who you really are: Ask yourself, what can I do for myself that makes me feel good? Too often we are conditioned to believe that play is for kids and that doing too much for ourselves is selfish. When you lose touch with yourself, you start seeking fulfilment from outside sources. When you realize the importance of self-care and make it a priority you re-connect with joy and happiness. Making time to do things you love will make you feel good
5. You will have more to give others: It’s a bit like building muscle. The more you practice self-care the more capacity you will have for family and friends. Self-care is not selfish, it a necessity.
There are countless benefits to adding massage therapy to your weekly or monthly wellness routine. It’s an essential self-care element that helps keep your body fully functional and your mind fully clear.
Body & Soul Massage in Salem Ma offers Therapeutic Massage. Make self-care a priority with our Monthly Membership Program or Pain Relief Packages. To learn more visit: www.bodysoulsalem.com or call 978-825-0040.