The Importance of Self Care

By Sally Gough

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 I'm sure many of us can agree that we do not allow enough time to ourselves?

Lately I have found myself chasing my tail continuously, and not allowing any time for myself,and the negative effects of this start to creep in.So I have to regularly check in with me!

Having time to yourself is so important, even if it’s just being able to have a Hot Bubble Bath with a glass of wine, or a small walk it is so important we have that time to relax and reflect on what’s important in life!

Every night before bed I get all my skincare products out in the bathroom and give myself a Mini Facial. I absolutely love The Prior Skincare Range and Medik8 Skincare, so I have some products from each range, and keep adding more to my collection,I invest in the best skincare for my skin,Like I invest in the best quality food to eat! 
  I would never be without these products now, they have totally changed my skin for the better. plus the little facial routine I do every night helps me to relax and prepare myself for sleep.

Since working at Elaine’s Beauty Spot I soon began to see how passionate all the therapists were about their skin and how important it is to take care of it! I then began my journey studying the skin and also soon became passionate about skincare a little knowledge can make such a difference!

A Healthy Diet Is Everything
  Having a healthy Diet is one of the core elements of Self Care. Our bodies need sufficient nutrients and hydration to exist! Starting your day off with a healthy breakfast will provide your body with the fuel it requires to manage your energy levels throughout the day. I personally find it more difficult to maintain a healthy diet during the colder months, our bodies tend to crave more heartier foods. So I like to make some gorgeous homemade soup, any Vegetables that need using up this is a great way of using them too! Soup is healthy and also great for those colder days when you just need something warm to eat you know when you tuck into a steaming bowl of homemade soup your body is almost craving it's goodness.
With food being less nutritious than it used to be,alot more effort is required to keep your body at its optimum level so supplements to your diet is really something that everyone should look into.

YES PLEASE
Try to do something you enjoy every day. Think about what things you enjoy the most...... For me it’s walking my dogs,Baking and helping out my brother on his farm! I try to go for a walk every day. By just doing this every day it can help your mood, and make you feel that bit better.

Did you know, when you exercise your body releases chemicals, these are called dopamine, and endorphins,this is what makes you feel happy! Exercise also helps your brain get rid of chemicals that make you feel anxious and stressed. So not only is your brain releasing feel-good chemicals it is also helping to get rid of those nasty chemicals we don’t want. So just a short walk in the evening may just help you sleep better tonight!!



The importance of a Routine
So why is a routine important for self care? Personally I love a routine, it helps me to stay organised and productive. If for any reason my routine gets changed or stopped I find that really hard to deal with. When I don’t have any structure to my day it can cause me to feel stressed, anxious and I just can’t focus. So I have a routine that I try my best to stick to everyday as this helps me have a focused brain and feel active for the day ahead! Sometimes it just takes a slight tweek to this routine to make my day go better. This subject on it's own can have a book written about it.But I enjoy listening to Clubhouse Talk Forums about the 'Morning Routine's of Winners'.This give me idea's on improvements I can make.

This is a game changer
It’s Important we all get enough sleep in our lives. Your daily routine influences your quality of rest. It’s important you can maintain a consistent time for waking up and going to bed, this is because your sleep schedule affects your performance, energy level and emotional well-being.Putting as much energy into a sleep routine as well as a waking one is important self care. Night is the time you can recharge & repair.
Avoiding stimulates like wine/ caffeine and screen time can also help you not only nod off but allow you to sleep deeper.

I know that some of these things sound obvious, but they work.
Sometimes being reminded of some core & effective techniques can make such a difference.
Care For Yourself and You Can Deal With Anything.

Sally xxxx

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