Daniel Browne's top ten tips for self-care week

Do you take enough care of yourself? Self-care week takes place from 14th – 20th November and it’s a great time to think about your own approach to self-care. Something as simple as brushing your teeth each morning and evening is a form of self-care, but here I’d like to share my top ten self-care tips with you. Perhaps you could give them a go during self-care week, but they’re useful to apply to your life throughout the year.

1. Eat healthily. What you eat can affect the way your body feels, but if can also impact on the way your mind feels. Keeping a balanced, healthy diet is key to overall well-being. That’s not to say that you must only eat healthy foods. That would be unrealistic, so make sure you treat yourself occasionally too. If you want a chocolate bar, have one. But only do this in moderation. The 80/20 rule is a good one to live by. Eat healthy foods for 80% of the time and then a bit of what you fancy for the remaining 20% of the time. It’s about striking a healthy balance.

2. Catch up with a friend you haven’t seen or spoken to for ages. As we focus on our lives it is sometimes the case that we lose touch with people we were once great friends with. So pick up the phone or send them a message, and arrange to catch up. It’s good to reconnect with those we miss.

3. Put your phone down and turn off the computer. Once you’ve finished reading this article and called up a friend to catch up with them, of course. Technology can be distracting. Texts, calls, emails, Facebook and Twitter notifications all come through to our phones these days and it can become a constant cycle of checking your phone, seeing what’s going on, replying, and so on… It doesn’t have to be like that. So give switching off all technology a go and indulge in some ‘me time’.

4. Don’t compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others can lead to envy and lower your self-esteem. Therefore, it is simply not worth comparing yourself to other people. Accept that you are unique and that everyone is different. Everyone has their own journey and all you need to focus on is yours.

5. Embrace your imperfections. I truly believe in celebrating people for who they are and would like to encourage you to celebrate who you are. Being perfect is pretty boring, right? Be proud of your imperfections. They make you who you are.

6. Know your strengths. Our weaknesses can be so overpowering sometimes, which means we don’t focus on our strengths enough. Do not allow your weaknesses to be so needy. Focus on your strengths and shape your life around them.

7. Laugh. It’s a bit of a cliché, but laughter really can be a medicine. Try to find something to laugh about each day and notice how good it makes you feel.

8. Love. There are many ways of loving, and even just a hug can do the trick. Whether it’s your partner, your child, a family member or a friend, hug it out and enjoy how it feels to love. My dog is quite fond of being made a fuss of and she is equally affectionate. Even that is a form of love that can make you feel good.

9. Go slower. We can all get caught up in being busy, but sometimes it’s good to slow the pace down and be a bit more leisurely.

10. Remind yourself that tomorrow is a new day. If today hasn’t been so good or not gone to plan, there is always tomorrow. Stay positive.