How to Take Care of Yourself When You Hate Self-Care

Monday, February 12, 2018



Self-Care.

These days, "self-care" has become a bit of a buzzword. Everywhere you look on the Internet, you see posts about self-care. And that's fantastic! We could always use a reminder to take better care of ourselves and to do the important things in life, like de-stressing and actually remembering to breathe once in a while. (what no i'm totally not subtweeting myself in this entire freaking post lol what gave you that idea)

But what about those of us who are really really really bad at self-care? 

We know that taking care of ourselves is important. But when I see self-care articles online, I can never bring myself to actually do them. When you're a very Type A person, it's hard to justify taking a break to go have a movie marathon when you know that there are so many other things that need to be done. 

But even past all of the ice cream/bubble bath/movie marathon self-care, I have to admit that I'm really bad at taking care of myself in general. When life gets busy, and there's a ton of things to do, it seems that the first thing that gets thrown out the window is taking care of myself. As in, casually forgetting that eating and sleeping and, y'know, drinking a cup of water every now and then are important.

So, this post is for those of you out there who are in the same boat as I am. Some self-care tips from a self-care hater, if you will. Hopefully they'll be somewhat helpful in aiding you to ease life's craziness, even just a bit. ♥

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1. Remember why it's important. 

If you're anything like me, the thought of self-care immediately seems like a waste of time. After all, there's so many things to do! There are classes to attend and homework assignments to complete and friends to do things for and books to write and dreams to be fulfilled and what is spare time at this point??? But look at it this way- you aren't going to be able to do any of the things that you want or need to do if you don't take care of yourself. You're going to crash eventually, and then it's going to be super problematic. So, in taking the time to take care of yourself, you're actually allowing yourself to be more productive in the long run. 

2. Prepare ahead of time

It's so easy to get insanely busy and just genuinely forget to take care of yourself. I forget to eat all the time- I feel you. So you have to learn to prepare ahead of time. Make sure that if you're going to be out all day, you have a water bottle with you. Don't think you're going to have time to eat? Throw something together the night before, stick it in your purse, and eat it when you can, even if that's just a trail mix or a pack of crackers. Anything is better than nothing, so figure out ways that you can work it in. 

3. SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP SLEEP

I'm pretty sure that this is the most important aspect of taking care of yourself. Please, please, please, make time to sleep. There is literally no way that you're going to be able to function well if you don't sleep. If it's one am and you're still working on something- please, go to sleep. You're not going to be able to do it well when you're exhausted. Force yourself to sleep, and do it tomorrow. I know that it doesn't feel like you'll have enough time, but trust me- you will. Sleep boosts your productivity, will generally make you feel better, and will boost your immune system, helping you to stay healthy through all of the cold and flu season. SLEEP!

4. Set aside a quiet time

When things are crazy, you need a designated time to regroup and just be able to breathe for a few minutes. I like to take half an hour or so at night before I go to bed to organize my planner for the next day, fill out my question a day journal, listen to some chill music, read a few chapters of whatever book I'm currently working through, or maybe jot down a journal entry. Bonus points if you do everything analog. I'm thoroughly convinced that reading or writing in a physical form rather than a digital one is the best form of self-care. 

5. Put a little extra work into your appearance. Or don't. It's up to you. 

If you've been living life in leggings and sweatshirts, take a few minutes to throw on a nicer outfit, and add some eyeliner. On the flip side, if you've been having to get dressed up every day for the past three weeks, give your skin a day to breathe and wear some comfier clothes. It's all up to you. Do whatever is going to make you feel better. 

6. Make a playlist that makes you happy

Take the time to do it once, and it will benefit you for ages to come. Having a playlist of your favorite songs on hand is sure to boost your mood whenever you're having a frustrating day. I have several- an acoustic playlist for when I need to chill out, an energetic playlist for when I need a pump up, and a worship playlist for when I'm not quite sure if I'm going to survive the day. (#keepin'itreal) Sometimes, music is the best medicine.

7. Be intentional with communication

We live in a world where it's easy to do one of two things- be connected to everyone you've ever met 24/7, or to block everyone out completely. Maintain a healthy balance of the two. You need to have people in your life that you can talk to, even when things are crazy. That being said, you don't have to maintain a constant conversation with that girl you met four years ago at summer camp. Be purposeful with who you stay in close contact with, but don't get so busy that you lock people out of your life. Even when things are crazy and you can't hang out with people all the time, make sure that you're still keeping relationships strong and letting people know that you care about them.

8. Move around

Another thing that, if you're anything like me, you're automatically going to say that you don't have time for, but you need to do. Staying active and in shape is important, even when it feels like a massive waste of time. Again, it's one of those things that will ultimately keep you going and make you feel better in the long run, even if it's hard to fit in. You don't have to do some major workout every day of the week, but take a short walk, or do some yoga before you go to bed. Your body will thank you.

9. Find one thing that will make you happy every day

I don't care how tiny this may be. In fact, I personally tend to go for something tiny. My Type A self feels less guilty about it, and I don't have an excuse for not fitting it in. Whether that's adding something that you enjoy to your to-do list, reading a chapter of something you love before bed, or a piece of dark chocolate, add one thing to your day that's going to make you smile, no matter how small it may be.

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So, there you have it. Some practical self-care tips for all of my fellow self-care haters out there. Take care of yourself, okay, love? It's important. You're important. ♥

32 comments:

  1. Self care is never something I've really struggled with forgetting, but sometimes I still forget how many aspects there are to it (The water one gets me). Thanks for the tips!
    -Mikayla-

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  2. Dark chocolate for the win! I think the reason why some people, including myself, have a hard time with the self-love/self-care is because it can seem kind of selfish, especially in today's society. We do need to take care of ourselves because that's super important. And it doesn't have to be a selfish thing. You have to be able to take care of others and the only way to do that is if you feel 100% okay. (With exceptions, of course.)

    Awesome post!

    ~Ivie|Ivie Writes

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    1. It feels SO selfish, which makes it so difficult. But then it's like, okay, how can I do things for other people if I'm not functioning well to begin with? I've had to force that mindset into myself, and I still struggle with it on a daily basis. So glad to know someone else understands!

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  3. YES TO ALL OF THESE.
    I like the idea of self care-but when it comes to me actually doing it? It feels too selfish! I have so many other things I could be doing, but taking time out for me? It makes me feel almost guilty.
    I have been trying this month to take a little time before bed each day to journal, read, and play the ukulele, and I've definitely noticed benefits.
    My favorites on this list are 5 and 6. It's amazing how much a good outfit will add to your mood and self esteem, and music never fails as a pick-me-up.
    Thoroughly enjoyed this Grace Anne!
    xx
    Mira

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    1. THE GUILT IS SO REAL. It's the worst. I'm so glad to hear that you've been taking time out to care for yourself! It really makes such a difference.

      Thank you for your kind words, Mira! I'm glad that you enjoyed! :)

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  4. this blog post felt like a breathe of fresh air, and is so so so helpful and relevant and just a really nice reminder with some really good tips and i appreciate this so much omg thank you for writing this!!! God bless u. xxx

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    1. :''''') wow this made me smile so much. *I* APPRECIATE *YOU* SO MUCH!

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  5. ^^^^^ this was actually the best post ever and I needed to hear it. I FEEL LIKE I JUZJ TOOK A DEEP BREATH THANK U.

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  6. Thank you for this! I am writing these down and bookmarking this because these tips are the best. I am terrible with self-care so this is exactly what I needed.

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    1. Girl, I relate. Hope you're doing well, love. <3

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  7. thank you for this lovely reminder, Grace. it's so so needed.

    cheers.
    k.

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  8. It's so funny that you posted this, because I was thinking of posting something similar, haha. I am so terrible with self-care, but I always find that I feel better when I set time aside to do it. Thanks for these tips, friend!!

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    1. You so should!!!! I'd love to read it. <3 LOVE YOU

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  9. THIS POST WAS LITERALLY WRITTEN FOR ME WASN'T IT. YOU READ MY MIND DIDN'T YOU???? *so many hugs* this is exactly what I needed!!!! BECAUSE I'M THE EXACT SAME WAY and self-care is always the least important thing to me (like why help myself when I can be helping another person?? or accomplish something else on my list????? In some ways it's good but IT'S ALSO SO BAD.) Burnout is real, man. I loved what you said about taking care of yourself so that you can do everything you want to do. <<< IT'S SO TRUE BUT IT SLIPS MY MIND A LOT SO THANK YOU FOR THIS ENTIRE BEAUTIFUL POST AND THAT REMINDER.

    I've recently been practicing a nightly routine and it is soooo nice. I get off the internet no later than 8pm and I take an hour to stretch, then hang out with my family and read a little before bed. IT HAS IMPROVED MY QUALITY OF LIFE X10000. I also really appreciate what you said about finding a balance with communication. PREACH, GIRL!! I struggle with that a lot — I'll totally overdo interaction with people and then feel so burnt out I have to go on hiatus or something to clear my head. But I think there's definitely a healthier way to handle this!! Still trying to find that balance… *nervous laughter* BUT GRACE ANNE YOUR WISDOM SAVES MY LIFE <3 THANK YOU FOR THIS !!!

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    1. OOPS WRONG ACCOUNT. but you know who I am lol xD

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    2. YOU ALWAYS GET ME 100% ON THAT LEVEL AND IT MAKES ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER TO KNOW IT'S NOT JUST ME. That nighttime routine sounds amazing! I really want to implement something similar, I've just been getting home so late that it hasn't been working. KEEP TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF, GIRL! <3 (and come visit me pls and thank you) I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! Your comments always make my day.

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  10. As so many people have said already, this was so much needed. At this current point in life, I've been trying to take in as much friend time as possible in between working through everything for graduation and school and applying for college and all that, and time for myself is scarce. Thank you for writing this, Grace Anne!

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    1. The senior year craziness is SO real. Hope that you're finding time to breathe, friend. <3

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  11. This is a good post :) I'm like you. I either feel guilty, or I forget about it. But sleeping and drinking water is VERY IMPORTANT. I've also started trying to read at least a page of something before bed, and I've found that's been boosting my spirits greatly to be reading again. Cause let's face it: making time for reading is reallyyyyy hard. Thanks for these tips and reminders! <3

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    1. Why are the most basic of things SO HARD TO REMEMBER?? Making time to read every night is SO great! I really need to get in that habit again, I miss it. Thanks for stopping by, Hannah!

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  12. I honestly don't even know what self-care is. I have a playlist, I make sure I get enough sleep. I guess what I need to work on is preparing and finding one thing that makes me happy everyday. So I'll go through my day and think of something that makes me happy, wow this was a good post :-) xx
    ~ Rukiya

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    1. I hope that your days are filled with lots of happy things, Rukiya. :)

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  13. YES AND AMEN *insert all the clapping emjois* you hit on some super good points, GA. Keep taking care of yourself, busy lady! Thanks for inspiring us <3

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