How to Hold On to Your New Self-care Habits
Photo: Danell Hankins for RUNGRL
by Dr. Candice Williams, LPC, Contributor
It’s no secret that quarantine and social distancing guidelines in recent months have forced us to adjust our daily lives both physically and mentally. Adapting to a ‘new normal’ has caused many to become more aware of things we previously did to stay afloat, as well as what things may need to change.
The global health pandemic has been a crisis many have had to navigate while continuing to manage daily work and family obligations. While virtual meetings and online socializing are staples of our present lifestyles, many of us have adopted new self-care rituals to maintain our mental wellbeing amidst the chaos.
As states begin to announce their plans to reopen, we have to think consciously about how we plan to thrive in our new normal without compromising the time well spent while in quarantine. It’s important to ensure that the same healthy habits we’ve built during this time will carry over to how we take care of ourselves in the future. These helpful tips will help you maintain the good self-care habits you have gained while social distancing.
Ready, Schedule, Go
Stay ready so that you don’t have to get ready by sticking to a realistic and flexible schedule. Just like we budget our bank accounts, we need to also budget our time. Using a daily planner or online calendar such as Google, avoid overcommitting and feeling depleted by assigning time to your tasks like you assign line items to your money. Save time for yourself in your self-care piggy bank, and schedule tough tasks first, so that you’re not tempted to put them off for later.
Identify Barriers That Keep You Stuck
Having a plan is great, but recognizing the people, places or negative mindsets that can hinder your progress is key. Identify and minimize potential barriers to progress to achieve greater success in the long run. Avoid attaching shame when you miss the mark on a task or feelings of guilt when you choose to prioritize your needs over others. Reducing these negative feelings and setting boundaries can help you stick to your plan even beyond quarantine time.
Meaningful Rewards
Photo: Danell Hankins for RUNGRL
Like credit card rewards, maximizing your productive time can triple your “reward points” in the self-care department and improve your mental health and quality of life. Protecting your peace is just as valuable, if not more, than the points you earn from swiping your credit card. Focus on your strengths and what you’ve learned about yourself (good and bad) while social distancing. Make a list each week of your “rewards” as well as “barriers” to track your progress and acknowledge the blind spots that stunt your growth. Find ways to reward yourself such as taking a mental health day off from work (even if you work from home!), putting your phone on “do not disturb”; or sleeping in an extra 30 minutes.
Process Over Outcome
Learn to accept the ebbs and flows of sticking to a routine during this time of crisis. Whether you feel stressed by the COVID-19 epidemic, or the ongoing racism pandemic, trying to stick to a schedule can sometimes feel overwhelming. You are not alone. Maintaining a realistic self-care routine at this time is all about embracing the process to reach your desired goal.
Be patient with yourself, label your feelings and practice embracing change one day at a time. Each of these things will help you bring your newly-learned self-care practices with you as you navigate new and constant changes. Remember, you can always hit the reset button when needed. Sticking to a self-care routine is not a sprint, it is a marathon and as long as you stay on course, you will always be in first place.
DR. CANDICE WILLIAMS, PH.D., NCC, LPC
Contributor
Dr. Candice Williams is a Texas native living in Washington D.C. and specializing in both clinical and trauma counseling. Dr. Williams has over ten years of clinical experience across various treatment settings with adolescents and adults. Her work is centered around Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and includes a strength-based approach to helping clients understand how their thoughts impact their feelings and thoughts. Insightful, competent and highly experienced, Dr. Williams has helped hundreds of clients towards their desired personal and professional goals with her private counseling organization, MYND Mental Health + Wellness Group, LLC.