I think this title is bold because I’m not sure how I’m going to make the challenges work this week based on the purpose of the title. I just really wanted the opportunity to talk about creating this form of self-care in any space that you’re in. I have been writing about space self-care for three weeks now and I don’t think I ever provided a definition. I’m sure you can tell by now based on the self-care options I’ve been blogging about this month but my definition of space self-care is two fold 1). creating an environment that you feel good being in and 2). taking time for yourself when you need it. I’m sure there are other ways to define it but based on my interpretation and the challenges I provided this month, this is how I choose to define it.
We are often in situations where we may not always have the opportunity to leave or manipulate it to our liking. One example of this is work. We’re not always able to leave when we want or change the environment so it’s conducive to how we are currently feeling. When this happens, we have to work with what we have in that moment, and in most cases you have to get really creative while keeping in mind that this “momentary escape” may only last a few minutes. For this week I think I want to provide a list of these situations and how you can incorporate space self-care in each of them.
AT WORK there has been many days when my work day couldn’t end soon enough. This is usually when I’m not in a position to leave early. If you ever find yourself in this situation, if possible you can always leave early or even take the next day off. Other options would be to go for a walk, if there’s anyone at your job that you’re close to, maybe stop by their desk or office for a quick chat, grab a cup of coffee or you can go into one of the bathroom stalls and take a few minutes to yourself. Sometimes we just need to break up the monotony of the work day so we can feel like we can keep going.
AS A PARENT this one is TOUGH because as a parent taking care of your kids is a big part of the deal. If you’ve been reading my blogs at all this year, you’d know that I provide a list of self-care ideas in an infographic for moms and other working women. Some of the ideas that I provided last week works well for this form of self-care. If you’re interested click on the infographic link below for some self-care ideas for parents.
SMALL SPACES this option is for anyone who’s renting a room, lives in a dorm, spends a lot of time in a small at home office, lives in a small studio apartment, etc. This is an easy one because there are several things you can do here (a lot of the ideas I’m providing was mentioned in previous blog post from this month). I would first suggest that you make sure that the space you are working with suits your personal style. I talk about home decor in this blog post as well as feng shui. I think these are two great ideas you can consider when making your space your own especially if you’re not able to escape when you want to. Other options are; a change of scenery by going on a long drive or going for a walk on a nice day. If you’re the type who can escape and get lost by reading a really good book I would suggest that as well.
TRAVELING I’m referring to while you’re in the car or on an airplane. Although it may be a little uncomfortable taking a nap is the best option. I would also encourage putting on your head phones and listening to music or a book if possible, you can watch a movie or binge watch one of your favorite shows. If you’re driving you can stop as often as you’d like explore a little bit, this will come in handy if you’re taking a really long road trip. I would also say that in these situations you really have to dig deep and focus on the things you can control because you really can’t control these environments (especially when you’re on an airplane).
RELATIONSHIPS and this is all forms of relationships, especially if you live with the person. Some people might love it but I need space from people sometimes. I’m an ambivert and I replenish and recharge when I’m alone because people can be draining. If you’re anything like me, I think spending time away from each other in separate rooms is helpful. Other options would be to leave the house or to spend time with friends. Maybe you can both agree to spend one day a week away from each other, this can look like leaving the house for several hours while you each do your own thing.
SPACE FROM YOUR SPACE this is very similar to small spaces but this one is good for people who live alone. If you spend a lot of time in your house by yourself. You’ve probably felt a little antsy and wanted a change of scenery. If you’ve ever had that itch, scratch it because too much of anything is not good for you. You can also start a small (or large) re-decorating project. Sometimes when we re-decorate it can feel like we are in a brand new home.
PROJECTS some of us may be working on any variety of projects at the moment. This can range from writing a book to being a student and sometimes we need a break from that. The easiest and probably the most efficient is to take some time off from the project. Set it aside and clear your head (especially if you’re stuck and haven’t made any progress in a while).
Self-Care on the go are essentially bite size versions of my self-care challenges. It’s open to anyone but it’s specifically created for moms and other working women; who may not have time to participate in all (or any) of the challenges that I provide weekly because of their mommy duties or busy work schedule. You can access the infographic HERE. I’ve been posting them every Sunday since the beginning of the year and I really enjoy creating them. If you’re one of my readers who participate in, or enjoy these options because you find them convenient, leave a comment and let me know what you like about them or what you think I should change. Thanks for going on this self-care journey again with me this week.
By the way, if you’re interested, my Newsletter and Self-Care Accountability Worksheet is now available. The worksheet will act as a supplement to my daily self-care challenges. The purpose is to help you stay on track with your daily self-care routines. If you’re interested in receiving these items weekly, email me at tam33ks@yahoo.com. The self-care worksheet is FREE, but will only be available to my Newsletter subscribers. I will NOT spam you, I will only email once per week.
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