Dear Stacy,

It’s tough out there these days. Like you, many of us are working hard to survive and protect our families during this crisis. And what about our jobs? We’ve got to help out at the office too, right? It’s a lot.

What can we do to take care of ourselves when all eyes are on us? Can we really find time for self-care in this stressful time? The answer is yes! Here are some tips on self-care for the doing-it-all worker bee.

Tip #1: Decide what self-care really means to you. We tend to think of self-care as a luxury—something we do on occasion, maybe just after work or vacation. But now more than ever, it’s important we build this sort of care into our days and weeks. The key is not only recognizing the value of self-care but also finding what it means to you.

What happens when you shift your mindset from “self-care is good for me” to “I am important enough to take care of?”

Tip #2: Encourage good habits. Are you someone who eats on their desk? Or do you graze through the day with no break? These habits may seem harmless, but they take a toll on our bodies and minds.

Self-care is not just about the occasional bubble bath or afternoon run. It starts with little practices that become habits—like taking a walk during your lunch hour to clear your head and ease some stress.

Changing these habits can help you build more opportunities for self-care into your schedule and daily life and allow you to listen better to what your body needs.

Tip # 3: Practice mindfulness. One habit I like to build into my day is taking a few minutes during the day to practice mindfulness. This could be breathing exercises, visualization, or simply focusing on how your body feels in your chair—your hands on your keyboard or whatever.

Even if you start with a couple of minutes each day (this could be while you’re standing in line for lunch or waiting in the carpool lane), you can build up to 10 minutes. And if this only means a few breaths each day, it’s best to get started now. Check out the Aura or Headspace app to build this into an easy habit. 

Tip #4: Respect people’s time. Setting boundaries and allowing for flexibility is one important part of self-respect. You need to respect your co-worker’s time, too.

I recently had to take a call in the middle of my day from someone on the West Coast. I always put self-care first, and it was clear that this phone call would be interrupting my workday (and even interfacing with a meeting). So I politely explained that I would only focus on a few of their questions and rescheduled the call for later.

Staying healthy, happy, and productive is possible. Getting organized and building in self-care can help you accomplish that during these difficult times.

I hope this helps, Stacy. Stay safe, healthy, and SANE!

Sincerely,
Jenny