Incorporating Self-Care into Your Workday

Amy Jen Su quotes a CEO that stated, “Self-care is no longer a luxury; it’s a part of the job.” And it should be part of the job. Many of us spend more hours at work than we do at home or with friends and family. Work related stress is at an all-time high, so it’s important to have a good self-care routine in place. Your self-care routine should focus on caring for your physical and mental health, including your emotions, relationships, environment, time, and resources.

 

 

Taking care of yourself shouldn’t make you more stressed. Instead, try these tips to weave self-care into your day naturally.

1. Cut yourself a break. We are often our own worst critic. Think about the advice or praise you would give to a teammate who was in the same situation.
2. Value your time, money, and resources. We often get asked for our time or resources and it’s easy to always say yes. Before saying yes, consider how this will affect you and your current priorities. Manage your yeses.
3. Take a victory lap. Instead of moving directly into the next project or task, take time to celebrate any recent accomplishments or wins. An “Accomplishments” channel on your team’s Slack or a monthly team celebration can be a connector to your team’s victories.
4. Surround yourself with good people.  Be aware of who feeds your energy in a positive way versus who drains your energy. Be sure to nurture relationships with friends and family outside of work as well.
5. Update your workspace. Your workspace can impact your productivity more than you realize. Keep your desk tidy. Put up pictures or artwork that inspires you or brings positivity to you
6. Recharge & reboot. Build time into your week to get extra rest. Make sure you have time to do activities that help you recharge, like reading a book for fun or spending time outdoors. 

 

 

Here are some additional ways to practice self-care at work. 

1. Set boundaries. Overworked teams are less productive and more at risk for physical and mental health issues. Set boundaries surrounding time spent at work, not working after hours, not taking work home, etc.
2. Prioritize workplace mental health. Take advantage of, or inquire about, mental health support services, activities, or assistance programs provided by your company.
3. Take breaks often. Studies suggest that most people can only concentrate on one task for about 20 minutes at a time, and that the average worker is only productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes per 8-hour workday. Regular breaks (walking, stretching, lunch) can increase productivity and decrease stress.
4. Set priorities. Workloads can be overwhelming and cause pressure, leading to less productivity and more stress. Create a clear list of priorities each day to increase focus and reduce multitasking.
5. Avoid the “lunch at the desk” trap. Taking a proper lunch break will help you come back to work with more focus and energy. 
6. Ask for help. Employers that encourage asking for help are likely to have happier employees. Don’t be afraid to ask a co-worker or management for help or guidance so you can perform to the best of your abilities.

 

 

Self-care can be one of the first things to go when times get stressful, but these are the times when it is needed most. Make sure you are aware of when self-care starts slipping so you can get it back on track. The following are some of the ways you may notice that your self-care is slipping:

1. Self-neglect: as we get more stressed with work, we forget to say no and prioritize our own health. By doing so, we are encouraging burnout.  
2. Self-management: having a professional disposition is an important factor in business. However, try not to allow it to suppress your emotions as that will drain you even more.
3. Self-sabotage: be aware of when you may have turned to unhealthy habits like procrastination or distractions. These habits can interfere with performing at our best.
4. Self-preservation: it is easy to fall into a mindset that focuses on a lack of time, resources, money, etc. to protect yourself. However, this shuts off our ability to seek or accept help from others.

 

If you notice you’ve slipped into any of these places, look to the self-care tips we have discussed to help bring yourself back into a healthy and more productive space.

 

 

Adapted from 6 Ways to Weave Self-Care into Your Workday, an HBR article by Amy Jen Su, and from Workplace Mental Health: How to Practice Self-Care at Work, an Integrated Health Specialists article.