Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Self-Care is Whatever You Say it Is
Recently, a client confided to me that she felt overwhelmed by the clutter in her apartment and the caretaking she was doing for family members. She knew she should be making time for self-care, but she felt she couldn’t fit it in. I told her self-care doesn’t have to require a huge time commitment, and it doesn’t need to be a massage or an elaborate spa treatment. Self-care can be anything that makes you feel, relaxed, calm, and well. The simple task of walking her bag of donations to the Salvation Army could be a form of self-care, because a walk is healthy and calming, while helping reduce her stress by eliminating some of her clutter.
But making time for yourself is important, particularly during these stressful times.
I’ve found that doing just 20 minutes of yoga in the morning and going for a 30-minute walk in the afternoon are excellent forms of self-care, both relaxing and healthy. Working on a jigsaw puzzle for ten minutes changes my focus, distracts me from problems, and is satisfying: all self-care. None of these take so long that they are hard to fit into my day. I also believe making and eating good food is a form of self-care.
I think getting organized is truly an act of self-love. It is saying, My life is important enough to put in the up-front time to make it run smoothly. Or, I value my clothes and I am grateful for them, so I will invest the time to make sure they are put away in an orderly fashion so that they will be there for me when I need them. For me, straightening up my desk at night feels like a form of self-care, because I sleep better and it makes me happy when I sit down in the morning.
Only you know what makes you feel centered and calm. For some it’s a manicure or a bubble bath. For others, it’s a long run in the park. Whatever it is, it is worth the effort to find the time for yourself.
We are about to enter a new era. Hopefully, in a few months, we’ll all be freer to go back to salons and gyms. But maybe a silver lining in this difficult year is discovering that self-care can even come from giving our homes and ourselves the kind and loving attention they deserve.