Do you sometimes to forget to take care of yourself? In a busy world with too many commitments, it can be easy to lose sight of what is important. This can result in negative changes to mood and happiness. It can affect our wellbeing and our physical health.

Self-care is often dismissed as being over indulgent or selfish. But it is neither of those things. It’s about caring about ourselves enough to live the best possible life. This is then reflected in our relationships and how we treat other people. There are several simple ways that self-care can be incorporated into your everyday life.

1. Take Stock

When you embark on any changes to your life, it is important to be aware of what is no longer working for you. Spend some time making a list of things you would like to change. When setting intentions, Danielle LaPorte suggests focusing on how you would like to feel, rather than what you want to achieve. This is powerful advice.

2. Know Your Triggers

Get to know the actions or behavior that cause you to feel pressured or unhappy. Work out the things that lead to uncomfortable feelings. Once you have an awareness of these triggers, you can put steps in place to avoid or deal with them.

3. Relax

If your life is busy, find ways to relax. This could be taking regular breaks from work. It could be booking in some time off, or it could be scheduling in an hour for yourself each day to read or meditate etc.

Massage is another way of effective way of winding down. Every system in your body can benefit from massage. You can bring the benefits of massage into your life each day by using a tool such the Prana eco mat. Massage mats benefit us by stimulating our meridian points and easing tension.

4. Make Simple Changes

If you feel stuck in a rut, make some simple changes. For example, changing your route to work each day. Or, you could alter the way in which you approach certain tasks. Small changes to our routine are beneficial as they create new neural pathways in the brain. This keeps it healthy.

5. Meditate

The positive impacts of meditation are indisputable. There are volumes of research outlining the benefits of adding a regular practice to our lives. It needn’t take hours out of your day, just ten minutes is enough.

6. Sleep

One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to get enough sleep each night. Being sleep deprived impacts on all areas of our lives. It affects us mentally, physically, and emotionally. Just making this small change will have far-reaching benefits.

7. Make A Small Change To Your Diet

Rather than overhauling everything and doing too much too soon, make one small change to your diet. This could be drinking more water. Or it could be eating at least one superfood twice a week.

8. Treat Yourself

Buy something to cheer up your day. This doesn’t need to be expensive. It could be a bunch of flowers for your desk. Or it could be a magazine or paperback. Little treats can have a positive effect on your wellbeing.

There are many ways you can bring self-care into your life. The trick is to figure out what works for you and what will have the most impact.