How to Take Care of Yourself and Show Up for You

“I don’t know what I’d do without you!” If that’s a sentence that’s regularly said to you, you’re likely the go-to person that everyone relies on and trusts. Your friends, family members, and even your co-workers always want you to do something for them and, of course, you want to be there for them in whatever way you can. You constantly put others first and often forget about taking care of the most important person in your life: you. Caring for others is a beautiful and honorable skill, however, if you keep giving and giving without filling up your own cup, you’re likely to end up feeling drained.

While putting yourself first may feel weird at first, the importance of caring for yourself can’t be emphasized enough. Without self-care, you won’t be able to best show up for yourself or anyone else in your life. So, how exactly can you prioritize your self-care? Here are our top tips for setting yourself up for self-care success.

Establish priorities

Putting yourself first doesn’t mean doing what you want to do all the time or ignoring the needs of others. It’s all a matter of understanding the interplay between taking care of yourself and taking care of others. For example, if you ignore your health, you likely won’t have the energy to show up for your friends and family. As such, making time to cook yourself healthy meals, exercise, and relax should be at the top of your priority list. Take inventory of what you need to feel your best and make those things priorities in your life. Plan your day around your priorities, not your priorities around your day.

Stay consistent

Consistency is how you build healthy habits. It’s also how you create some boundaries. If exercising is something you need to support your physical and mental health, create a consistent exercise schedule and stick to it. Soon, people will learn that you’re not available from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Of course, there may be times when you need to stray from your schedule, but following it the majority of the time is a great signal to yourself and others that you’re claiming that time for yourself.

Get comfortable with saying “no.”

If you’re everyone’s go-to person, you likely have some people-pleasing tendencies. You find it nearly impossible to say “no” to people and feel guilty if you can’t meet someone’s request. Sound familiar? The reality is, you need to get comfortable with telling people “no.” If someone is in danger or desperately needs your help, then by all means, say yes, but for other, non-urgent requests, practice saying “no” to allow time for yourself. The more you say “no” the easier it will get, and soon enough, you’ll find it much easier to decline things that you don’t have the time or desire to attend to or get involved with. The bottom line

For those of you who are used to constantly caring for everyone else, putting yourself first can feel foreign and challenging. If you need help learning how to prioritize your needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to the SoundMind Wellness team for guidance and support. We offer individual therapy, process groups, and wellness workshops. We’d be honored to help you learn how to give yourself the same level of care and love you so readily give to everyone else. Call us at (954)-613-9414 to get started.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of mental healthcare, wellness and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health practitioner. Always seek the advice of your therapist, physician or other licensed mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a mental health condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional mental health advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.

Burnout Is Real: How to Recognize, Prevent, and Heal from It

If chronic stress has left you feeling exhausted, defeated, and overwhelmed, you may be suffering from burnout. Regardless of what you’ve heard, burnout is a real condition and it’s more prevalent now than ever before. A recent, shocking survey of 1,500 U.S. workers found that 52 percent of the respondents were experiencing burnout. What exactly is burnout, how can you recognize it, and most importantly, how can you prevent and recover from it? These are the questions we’ll be answering in this article. Here’s what you need to know.

What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive or prolonged stress. It occurs when you’re continually exposed to stressful situations and unable to keep up with demands. Anything that causes stress over a long period of time can lead to burnout, such as caring for an ill family member or working long hours.

Burnout reduces your productivity, zaps your energy, and leaves you feeling increasingly overwhelmed, tired, defeated, hopeless, and detached. Eventually, you may feel as though you have nothing left to give, physically, emotionally, or mentally.

How can you recognize if you have burnout?

Everyone experiences stress and has overwhelming or difficult days, but occasionally feeling stressed does not constitute burnout. Burnout results in feeling tired and drained most of the time. When you experience burnout, you’ll likely lose your appetite, have trouble sleeping, and lose motivation to care for yourself and others. Things feel unbearably hard, all the time—as though you’re wading through mud.

How can you prevent and heal from burnout?

While you can’t always control what happens in your life, there are things you can do to reduce your chances of experiencing burnout. Additionally, the things you do to prevent burnout can also help you recover from it. Here are our top tips for preventing and healing burnout.

1. Find balance in your life

Burnout often arises in people who work themselves too hard in one area of their life. Perhaps they spend long hours working or spend all of their waking hours taking care of their children. To prevent and heal from burnout, it’s crucial to establish balance in your life. That could look like scaling back your work hours so that you have more free time or seeking out a few hours of child care each week so that you can have some alone time and engage in things you enjoy.

2. Set boundaries

Those who suffer from burnout are more likely to be “yes” people. They have a hard time saying no and sacrifice their own well-being for the sake of their work, family, or friends. While you can’t always avoid certain things in life, you can create boundaries in order to take care of yourself. Setting boundaries could entail asking for help, saying no to certain things (when possible), delegating duties to your co-workers or family members, or simply giving yourself permission to take breaks.

3. Make time for relaxation and sleep

When experiencing chronic stress, allowing time to let your body decompress and rest is essential. Do what you need to do to carve out time for relaxation and adequate sleep, even if that means pushing back deadlines or asking for help.

4. Seek support

One of the most effective tools to preventing and overcoming burnout is to reach out to others. Sharing your feelings with an attentive, non-judgmental listener can go a long way in calming your nervous system, relieving stress, and helping you feel safe.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, or simply want to stay a step ahead of your stress, don’t hesitate to reach out to the SoundMind Wellness team for guidance and support. We offer individual therapy, process groups, and wellness workshops. You don’t have to face burnout alone. We’re here and ready to help you rediscover your peace, joy, and happiness. Call us at (954)-613-9414 to get started.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of mental healthcare, wellness and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health practitioner. Always seek the advice of your therapist, physician or other licensed mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a mental health condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional mental health advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.

References:

https://www.indeed.com/lead/preventing-employee-burnout-report

https://www.healthline.com/health/tips-for-identifying-and-preventing-burnout#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1

Supporting Your Loved One’s Mental Health

An estimated one in five Americans struggles with a diagnosable mental disorder. That means that most of us have a family member affected by mental illness. It can be heartbreaking to see a loved one struggle in this way and while you likely want to help and support them, it can often be difficult to know how to best do that. You may not know what to say, how to express your concern, or how to help them through rough patches. Although it can be challenging, showing your loved one compassion, support, and understanding can play a major role in their well-being and even their recovery. Here are a few things you can do to help.

1. Educate yourself

The more you understand about what your loved one is going through, the better you’ll be able to support them. If your friend or family member has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, take time to research information about the disorder such as what causes it, how it’s treated, and common misconceptions about it.

2. Express your concern

If you notice a change in your loved one’s behavior or demeanor, gently and kindly express your concern to them. Use statements such as “I’ve been worried about you lately” or “I’ve noticed you seem a bit different lately. Is everything okay?” Resist the urge to pressure them to tell you what’s going on or make assumptions. Instead, let them volunteer information when they feel ready.

3. Offer a non-judgmental ear

A kind, loving ear can go a long way in helping someone with mental illness feel supported and understood. Let your loved one know that you are there for them and available to listen. Avoid offering unsolicited advice or trying to problem solve. Simply listen and let them know that it’s okay to feel what they’re feeling.

4. Encourage them to seek professional help

Despite doing your best to understand your loved one’s condition, you cannot help them in the same way a therapist or doctor can. Try to encourage your loved one to visit their primary care doctor who can rule out potential medical causes of their distress and refer them to a mental health specialist if needed.

5. Offer practical help Someone struggling with their mental health can easily feel overwhelmed by everyday tasks. Offering to help with their grocery shopping, watching their kids for part of the day, or cleaning their house can make a big difference and show them that you care.

6. Stay connected

People who are struggling with their mental health tend to feel isolated and may start withdrawing from their friends and family. Make it a point to regularly check in with your loved one with a text, call, or email. Also, keep inviting them places as you normally would. They may not feel up for an outing, but the invitations will help them feel included and less alone.

7. Be patient

It’s important to understand that recovering from a mental illness can be full of ups and downs. It can take time to find an effective treatment plan and even with treatment, your loved one may still experience dips. Keeping this in mind will help you set realistic expectations and remain hopeful and supportive in the face of challenges and setbacks.

Connect with SoundMind Wellness

If you or your loved one are seeking support in navigating mental health struggles, feel free to reach out to SoundMind Wellness to schedule an appointment with one of our therapists. We intimately understand the challenges surrounding mental illness and would be happy to support you and/or your loved one on the path toward living a happy, healthy life. Call us at (954)-613-9414 or fill out our online pre-screen questionnaire to get started.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of mental healthcare, wellness and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is not a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental health practitioner. Always seek the advice of your therapist, physician or other licensed mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a mental health condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional mental health advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.

References:

https://www.nami.org/nami/media/nami-media/infographics/generalmhfacts.pdf