Her Wknd Guide: Do What It Takes to Take Care of You and 6 Ways to Do It

IMAGE VIA JAVI_INDY/FREEPIK

written by FWTW Editors

Her Wknd Guide is a weekly series designed to help women take a break from their hectic routines and focus on themselves. By prioritising, organising, exploring, and taking on new challenges or adventures, they can experience life to the fullest and enjoy its best moments.

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Often, we tend to focus on helping others, trying to be the 'fixer', trying to do everything right, and getting everything done, and we end up feeling mentally exhausted and burnt out. This self-exhaustion can lead many women to turn to self-soothing methods as a way to self-medicate and reduce stress in their lives.

We've all seen Being Mary Jane, right? Her story is not different from some of us who are always trying to help others and fix everything, while forgetting about ourselves. And to de-stress, Mary Jane, like Scandal's Olivia Pope, enjoys a couple of glasses of red wine to take the edge off a long day of meeting the demands of others. However, some women overdo it, prioritising everything and everyone else before themselves.

In 2011, Michelle Obama told Barbara Walters that she prioritises herself. When asked if that could be seen as selfish, she responded, "It's practical. It's something that I found I needed to do ... a lot of times, we slip pretty low on our priority list because we are busy caring for everyone else. One of the things that I want to model for my girls is investing in themselves as much as they invest in others."

This weekend, taking care of yourself is important, and here's how to do it.

1. Spend Time By Yourself

Learning to enjoy your own company is an essential skill. It allows you to prioritise yourself and your needs. Take some time off from your friends, and engage in activities that make you happy - even if it means doing them alone.

Go to the spa, have lunch yourself, or do anything that brings you joy. Spending more time alone is also an excellent way to regroup, refocus, and organise your life.

Remember, taking care of yourself is crucial, and you deserve to make yourself a priority.

2. Take a Digital Detox

Our work and personal projects often demand a lot of our attention. We risk burning out if we don't allow ourselves to take a break and recharge. In today's highly connected world, taking a digital detox is an excellent way to restore balance and productivity.

Instead of scrolling through social media, why not read a physical book, spend time with loved ones, plan a vacation, or reconnect with yourself? A digital detox can help you recharge and refresh you with a new perspective and fresh ideas.

Did you know that there is a National Unplugging Day? That’s something you can consider partaking in.

3. Set Boundaries

Setting boundaries in our personal lives can be challenging for many of us. However, not establishing boundaries can eventually lead to exhaustion. As Myleik mentioned, setting boundaries means knowing what you will and will not tolerate to maintain your mental well-being. It is not a selfish act, nor does it make you unpleasant. It is about communicating what you will accept and expect from others.

Unfortunately, it is often those closest to us who cross the line. Our favourite podcast on boundaries is Myleik's, and we highly recommend listening to it.

4. Choose Wisely What you Say YES to

Many times, we accept tasks without evaluating if they are worth pursuing. This can lead to overcommitment, overworking, and ultimately burning out. It is important to be able to say no or decline an opportunity if you know you cannot commit without sacrificing your well-being.

Taking on too much can result in mediocre work and mental exhaustion, preventing you from doing your best.

5. Slow Down, Get Some Sleep

We often multitask excessively, juggling our 9-5 jobs with our freelance careers and caring for our loved ones. We tend to take on more than we can handle, which is unhealthy. Recognising our limits and acknowledging when we realistically cannot take on any more responsibilities is crucial.

Our best advice is to slow down, remove some of those tasks from your plate, get enough sleep, and focus on your happiness.

Arianna Huffington shares how she decided to take a break, slow down, and get some sleep while still thriving.

6. Take a Break

As Myleik shares, when you have given so much of yourself, it's important to make a deposit. That deposit is taking a break. Giving yourself the gift of a break is necessary for your mind and body. Often, we don't take breaks to regroup ourselves. Instead, we work until we reach a level of exhaustion. This leaves us to snap or break down at the simplest mistake.

Taking breaks such as casual and vacation days is great for a staycation or a trip to another country. It allows you to step away from work and your daily lives. It's the perfect reason to take a vacation if you're starting to feel burned out. It will refresh you with increased mental power and new perspectives.

Forbes shares how taking a vacation is good for productivity and the economy. Remember, putting yourself first doesn’t mean only caring about yourself. It means understanding that you are your priority and doing what it takes to care for yourself will lead you to a happier life.

How are you doing what it takes to take care of yourself? We would love to hear from you, so feel free to leave your comments in the box below.

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