Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: 8 Self-Care Tips For Go-Getters to Reach Their Goals
Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: 8 Self-Care Tips For Go-Getters to Reach Their Goals
How often have you heard the term “Self-care?” “What is self-care? What are you doing for self-care?” These seem to be the messages that we hear so much of these days. Most ambitious, active, working professionals and leaders rarely have time for adequate self-care. They tend to squeeze self-care into their schedule as quick activities when they have time, or wait until they’re burned out and exhausted, to recognize that it’s time for some self-care. But we all need self-care. Even the best therapists in San Francisco practice self-care! In this blog post, I talk about why self-care is important and I share some of the best self-care strategies to help you reach your goals.
Self-care is not just about feeling good. Self-care helps us be more in tune with ourselves, our needs, and it gives us the energy and inner power to pursue our goals and deal with stress. So, whether you’re balancing work while raising a family, starting your own company, or taking care of the many demands of your employees or clients, proper self-care is a must to help you achieve this and more.
Now you may have your own version of self-care. But you’ve also probably wondered from time to time if your form of self-care is helping, and if there’s something else you should be doing. I believe self-care is more than just bubble baths and meditating.
Self-care is the practice of intentionally taking action to improve your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial health. The goal of self-care is to maintain a healthy balance in all aspects of your life. Self-care has multiple benefits to your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial health and well-being.
The most significant benefit of self-care is that it helps reduce the impact of stress, depression, and anxiety on your mental health. If you would like more information on these topics, please read my previous blogs, Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: Busting 9 Myths About Anxiety and Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: 9 Tips for Managing Anxiety in The San Francisco Bay Area’s Professional Scene. If you’re having depression or anxiety, you may benefit from therapy. As a San Francisco psychologist, I provide therapy for depression and anxiety, and you can find out more here.
In addition to helping protect you from depression, anxiety, and stress, here are just a few more benefits of self-care:
Improved physical health.
Increased self-esteem and self-confidence.
Improved relationships.
Increased productivity and effectiveness.
Here are some self-care tips to help ambitious professionals like you reach your goals:
Eat healthy and stay hydrated. Eat more vegetables and fruits and cut back on processed foods. This will help keep your immunity strong, your weight healthy, and avoid disease. Choosing to eat at home more often allows you to be mindful about what you’re putting in your body. This way, when you go out for dinner, it feels more like a treat. Your body needs water to perform its functions. Most adults require about 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Oftentimes, we feel fatigue and difficulty focusing and it’s amazing how drinking some water can help relieve this.
Stay active and exercise regularly. Incorporating more physical activity into your daily routine helps you stay fit. Stand up while you're talking on the phone and take the stairs instead of the elevator. You also need regular workouts. Find a variety of activities that you'll enjoy doing for at least a half hour three days a week.
Sleep well. Most high achievers and ambitious people are so busy getting multiple things done, usually working on several goals at a time, they don’t have time for sleep. And yet, sleep is going to help increase your focus, productivity, and overall functioning. So, it’s imperative to get good quality sleep each night. Sleep provides a time for restoration and rejuvenation. Go to bed and rise on a consistent schedule. I
Take frequent breaks. Scheduling even small amounts of downtime throughout your day can make you more productive. These breaks help us to calm down our nervous system between the stressors and demands, which help reduce tension and anxiety so we can refocus. Some easy things you can do are to stand up and stretch when you're working at the office. Pause in between errands to drink a cup of tea and calm your mind.
Delegate wisely and be assertive. As a busy leader and professional, you tend to always have too much on your plate and it’s going to be difficult to do it all yourself. Focus on the tasks that match your strengths. Try to transfer the rest of your responsibilities to others, whether that means hiring a housecleaner or trading assignments with a co-worker. Stand up for yourself. Ask for what you need tactfully and directly. Remember that you are worthy of respect and consideration.
Stay connected. Quality relationships feed our spirit so it’s important to stay connected to those important to us. Cultivate close relationships with family and friends. Make time in your schedule for family dinners and coffee dates. You can invite a new colleague out to lunch or call up a friend you haven't seen in a while so you can catch up.
Manage stress and seek inspiration. This is imperative for you busy and hard-working professionals and leaders. Find relaxation practices that work for you. You can enjoy soaking in a warm bath or meditating in a quiet spot. Find what inspires and motivates you. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there are many spiritual organizations you can join where you can pray or chant together. You can also take time to visit the Redwoods or hike in Marin County, to spend time in nature, admiring tall trees or climb mountains to admire the view. This is one of my personal favorites. It’s amazing how much this can reduce our anxiety and increase our positivity.
Think positive. When we’re so busy running around and trying to do it all, sometimes some things don’t go our way. It’s important to acknowledge what’s going well in order to tune our brain to the positive which makes us more hopeful and better able to see solutions instead of problems. If you need some tips, check out my blog, The Power of Practicing Gratitude. Depression and Anxiety Therapy in San Francisco, CA.
In this blog, you learned about how you can reduce stress and accomplish more by making self-care a top priority. Self-care is important for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or lifestyle. It is not selfish or indulgent to take care of yourself – in fact, it is necessary for your overall health and well-being. By making self-care a priority in your life, you can experience many benefits that instill you with health, energy, and focus that help you achieve your goals.
When you feel pulled in so many directions, as many busy professionals often are, it can be harder to meet all the demands. Part of self-care is knowing when to reach out for help. I understand that when you feel pulled in so many directions, as many busy professionals often are, it can make you feel anxious, low, and discouraged. Find out more about how I can help here. If you’re struggling with high stress, depression, anxiety, or overwhelm, feel free to contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation to see how Anxiety Therapy San Francisco can help you.
Specialties include therapy for depression, anxiety, work stress, relationships, and life changes.
In Case You Missed It! Additional Blog Posts in this series:
Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: 9 Tips For Building Confidence In The Workplace
Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: 9 Tips For Managing Anxiety In The Bay Area Professional Scene
Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: Journaling Tips To Soothe Anxiety
Anxiety Therapy San Francisco 101: Busting 9 Myths About Anxiety
