As I am out and about talking with different people, I have noticed a trend. People are taking care of everyone else and ignoring their own self care. I understand. I’ve been there. We are all busy and pulled in many directions: kids, spouse, work, friends and more. Self care gets ignored, and we become our last priority.
This ignoring of the “self” doesn’t discriminate by age. I see young and old alike pushing through challenges, illness and exhaustion, even when their body is screaming for attention. Some may even recognize the problem, but don’t know what to do about it.
The thing I’ll tell you is this: it’s important to figure out how to take care of yourself. Otherwise, you won’t have anything left to give others.
Let me share with you a quick story. It is the story of the Bucket and the Ladle.
Imagine you have a bucket that is filled with water. The water represents your energy. Every time you help someone else, whether that be kids, spouse, or a friend in need, you dip into your bucket and “give” them a ladle of water. If you don’t take care of yourself, over time, the water level in the bucket gets lower and lower. Eventually you don’t have anything left to give to anyone else, because your bucket barely has enough in it for you.
This is why taking care of yourself needs to be a priority.
Fill your bucket
It’s okay when you push your limits in small bursts to support your kids, get that high-profile project completed, or help that neighbor in need. The thing that is not okay, is pushing all the time. When you do that, your body can’t recover. You may find you are more susceptible to illness and have less bandwidth to handle stress. At least that’s what I found for myself. It really helped me to find small pockets of time for self care.
Self-care actions: 10 minutes or less
- Step away from your desk or wherever you spend most of your time
- Walk around the building or neighborhood – ideally, get outside
- Clear your mind
- Consciously breathe
- Just “be” with yourself, and release all worry and thoughts of others
These are easy actions that help me put water back in my bucket.
Remember, it’s a process. Your bucket is always being depleted. However if you take care of yourself, you can keep enough water in your bucket for you and others. Be careful though, if it is currently empty, you’ll need to take special care and do whatever you can to add to your bucket.