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Self-care is an important but not always easy thing to do. When I am in a good pattern of self-care habits, I can feel on top of the world. When I’m not, it can be really hard to motivate myself to try to form these habits and see the benefits.

Skin care

Having good skin care can be really challenging. I used to think it required fifty-thousand products and would cost hundreds of dollars. This is definitely not the case. The three most simple things I find help me and my skin are considering my diet and exercise, sun exposure and routine care. Trying to cut down on excess sugar and processed foods and aiming for the 30 minutes a day target of elevated heart rate exercise is a great way I find to help my skin. Sometimes it also feels great to sweat it out with some exercise (remembering to wash my face after). However, the Australian sun is always hanging overhead beating down on us. Whilst I love the warmth of the sun, I also try to remember the damage it can do to my skin. A relatively cheap daily sunscreen moisturiser of SPF 30 plus is an easy way to protect skin during the day if I ever find myself without a hat. 

Dental

I have recently developed a newfound appreciation for protecting my teeth. This might sound like an odd realisation to have. But, without my teeth I wouldn’t be able to eat and chew all the things I love and give people a toothy grin so, I want to protect them. Not to mention the ability to save thousands of dollars in dental bills and scary painful operations. As per my dentist’s instructions, I have a knew fibrous toothbrush that will gently help protect my gums and ensure they are properly cleaned and free of bacteria that could grow. I have also been finding working slowly and diligently on my teeth quite therapeutic. I would previously rush through them as another chore before bed but, I now do a gentle general brush, a gentle brush of my gums to get all the little nooks and crannies and finish with a gentle flossing.

Sleeping

I have slowly been learning that the key to a good night’s sleep is a solid routine. The best sleep I tend to have is when I have a sustained period of getting up at an exact time and going to bed at an exact time. This can be hard. The habit is difficult to form, and it can be really easy to break. Sometimes, I just have to start and push myself to get up at the time I set my alarm clock and promise to put the screen down and mediate at night. For me personally, having a good night’s sleep as always been an ongoing battle. I find myself shifting between periods that allow me to form and continue good sleeping patterns and periods that leave me struggling.

Juggling all these self-care components would have seemed daunting to me previously, but slowly working them into my ever routines has really helped make them more manageable.