How can I look after myself?

It’s very easy to be so busy and occupied with what everyone else needs that we forget about ourselves. We have family, friends and work commitments, and they are all so important.

Well, they are, aren’t they?

Yes, these matters are important, but you can’t deal with them unless you look after yourself first. It absolutely isn’t selfish to do this. If you’re worried about being selfish, just think: if you collapse under the strain and you simply can’t do all these things other people rely on you for, isn’t that a bit irresponsible? Won’t it cause lots of inconvenience? Isn’t it even, dare I say it, a bit selfish?

So what’s to be done?

Fortunately, there are lots of simple, and often easy, things you can do to look after yourself.

Here are 10 top tips. Do at least some of these things, and you may see the difference.

1. Look after your physical health and listen to your body. It knows what it’s doing. Make use of its wisdom. Get in the habit of mentally checking over your body and seeing what niggles come up. You’d do the same for your car, wouldn’t you?
2. Get enough rest and sleep. Pulling an all-nighter to meet a deadline is really bad for you, whatever your business colleagues may like to tell you. And it isn’t efficient. Make your bedroom a work-free zone and keep the electronic clutter out of it too.
3. Exercise is important too, and it doesn’t have to be hours at the gym. Even a couple of 15-minute walks, preferably when it’s light, can help.
4. Drink plenty of water, especially if you have a lot of caffeinated drinks. Aim for around 1.5 to two litres a day, unless you have been advised otherwise. And wine does not count.
5. Eat regular meals. There is no moral or physiological virtue in skipping breakfast. You put fuel in your car, and you need to do the same for your body.
6. Be present in the here and now and pay attention to your surroundings. Often our worries are about what has already happened, which we can’t now change, or what might happen, which may never happen. So be mindful and attentive to the world around you.
7. Learn something new every day. I don’t mean take exams or slog through textbooks. Rather, be interested in things. Watch the news, listen to a podcast, read, or look for fresh perspectives.
8. Keep up with your friends. Connection is very important. Make time for that coffee and a catch-up. 
9. Do one thing at a time, even if your to-do list would stretch to the moon. Multitasking is inefficient and tiring, as you can’t truly do more than one thing at once. What happens is that you keep switching focus very quickly, and this drains your energy.
10. Do something kind for someone. Let them pull out in front of you, give a compliment or offer praise. It’s good for you and for them.

Which one of these things could you start to do today?