So, are we ready for summer!? Those of us with kids…. do you share in my anxiety at having the kids home and being responsible for them all day everyday? Or am I the only one? Shout out to educators, I COULD NOT do what you do and we are grateful for all of you!

It’s obvious, the kids will be spoken for during thier time off, but where does that leave me in all of my deliverables?  In addition to all of my deliverables, what about ME and my SELF? Or, what about YOU!? How are we taking time out for ourselves, or better yet how are we making decisions with ourselves’ best interest at heart?  Do we all invoke a mindset of self care?  What is self care?

Well, good question!  According to the University of Buffalo, “Self-care is an essential social work survival skill.  Self-care refers to activities and practices that we can engage in on a regular basis to reduce stress and maintain and enhance our short- and longer-term health and well-being.  Self-care is necessary for your effectiveness and success in honoring your professional and personal commitments.”

I needed to dig deeper into this meaning, because for me, it was more than just going for a walk or scheduling a spa day, etc.  To me, self-care is more of a mindset, that is defined by the various things we do for OURSELVES!  The notion of self-care is wildly associated with the things that make use feel good for that moment, I feel we should more importantly implement a mindset of self-care in our everyday interactions and decisions.  This mindset speaks to our underlying emotional, physical, intellectual and spiritual needs.  Making everyday decisions that honor those underlying factors to our SELF, is invoking a mindset of self-care.

I implemented three values that are helpful to me when trying to develop an ever constant awareness of a self-care mindset.  They are:
1. Know what your shut off point is, be honest with yourself and everyone around you. When needed give yourself the physical, intellectual, emotional or spiritual exit you need. We all hit a wall at times and us ladies are more likely to continue to push through, because everything has to get done NOW.  You’ll be more effective, if you acknowledge your current state and allow yourself to “exit”.   Not doing so, leaves us too exhausted and drained to tend to our selves after all of our other obligations are met.

2. Understand that everything DOES NOT need to get done NOW!  Invoke a sense of strategic procrastination, which is prioritizing in an attempt to be effective in what you’re accomplishing, while being resourceful to your SELF!

3. DO NOT leave yourself LAST! Know your worth ladies!!!  This speaks for itself, but so many times in less obvious situations, we leave ourselves last, fail to talk up, negotiate or set up the right expectations of and for ourselves.

According, to the US Department of Labor, 57% of woman participate in the US workforce, and 70% of that number are women with children of the age of 18.  That means on top of meeting all expectations in thier professions lives, those 70% of woman out of the 57% in the workforce, has to come home and tend to a family.  It’s these examples, that solidifies our need to implement a mindset of self-care, we all do regardless of employment or relationship status.

The ultimate goal here is to start small in implementing the three values into your everyday and make decisions that keep YOUR wellness at the core.   In the end, you will be happier, energized and better able to handle it all and find balance in your juggle!

Also, in the spirit of starting small!   We talked about achieving small goals, which will eventually add up to big ones and one of those smaller goals is the 52weekChallenge <—- Click that link for a suggested template and feel free to print it, I also added a picture of my own 52-week envelope.   I challenge YOU to take on this small, structured and effortless goal!  In the end, you’ll accomplish something, have some money saved and be energized and motivated to go after something bigger for your..SELF!