I'm not gonna sit here and tell you to break out the scented candles and the bath salts and give yourself a spa night every Saturday. Girl you're working full-time, you're running a business, you're taking care of your kids, you don't have time for that. I don't have time for that! So how do you actually fit self-care into your busy schedule in a more manageable and sustainable way? In this video I'm gonna tell you how I do it. Hey guys! Welcome back to my channel. My name is Ovi and this channel is all about the techniques, tools, and the mindset hacks that you need to manage your time so that you can take steps towards creating the life that you love. And of course that absolutely includes taking care of yourself But first let's take a second here to talk about what even is self-care. So spa culture will have you believe that it's all about those bubble baths, face masks, and massages. And on the other hand the health food and fitness industry will tell you that it's all about those green juices and yoga and vitamins. And although those are all different aspects of self-care, and some of them are my personal favorites, it goes so much deeper than that. Self-care to me is a mindset and a way of life. It's you making a conscious decision to make yourself a priority in your own life and taking action every single day to protect and improve your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. So how do you actually do that? Let's get right into my tips. So my first tip starts at the very beginning when you wake up. Wake up for yourself, not your obligations. What do I mean by this? A lot of us are in the habit of rolling out of bed dreading the morning because we're jumping right into that rat race. We're rushing off to work, or running around to get the kids ready for school, and that's how we start our day. But what if you could get up earlier, I'm not saying you how to wake up at a.m. I sure as heck am not a morning person, but what if you get up, you know, 15 minutes earlier than you do right now? Actually sit down and have your first cup of coffee or tea, go outside and get some fresh air. Just 15 minutes at the beginning of your day so that you feel like you're waking up to wake up and, you know, be present in your life, and not just to run around and have another crazy day. Tip number two is to make those choices that actually make you feel good the easier choices in your life. So if you're trying to eat healthier, prepare that food ahead of time so that you have that on hand and you're not reaching for the things that actually make you feel like crap just because it's more convenient. If you want to be taking care of your skin, you know, have your skin care products laid out within easy reach, not off in a cupboard somewhere that you have to look for, because you're not gonna do that every day. If you like to wear makeup, if wearing makeup makes you feel good, you know, have that laid out, have your go-to products picked out and stored in a convenient location so that you can just grab it and put it on in the morning when you're in a rush to just go off to work. Whatever actually makes you feel good about yourself make those choices super super easy for you. Especially when you're busy, especially when you're running around, especially in those morning times when you're just trying to get out the door, make sure that it's easy to just grab and go. Staying with this physical self-care theme for just a little longer, have a skincare routine for yourself. And you may not have time to, you know, do a full-on skincare routine in the morning and at night but pick at least one that works for you. So whether that's before you start rushing around for the day, first thing in the morning as you're getting ready to start your day off right, or as you're winding down for the night. Pick one at least, if you're not able to do both, and really, how much time you spend on it or how many products you use, what products you use, none of that is important. The important thing, what I really want you to take away from this tip is, make it intentional. Because the thing is you're gonna spend some time you know washing your face and throwing on some moisturizer anyway, at morning and night, right? So seeing you're gonna be spending that time anyway, use that time to just connect with yourself and really relax and be very intentional about what you're doing and be present in that moment so that, you know, if even if you're not able to have regular facials or you're not one of those people who like to put on the sheet masks and lay around for a while, it doesn't matter. You're incorporating that same essence into your everyday routine by having almost like a ritual for yourself. And just like taking that time for yourself with the skincare, intentionally set aside time in your week to do something that you love. So if you love to paint or read or dance or whatever it is for you, make that a regular appointment with yourself that is non-negotiable. So if someone wants you to do something and it's not a priority for you, that's not a time slot that you can give up to go do that thing, because that is your appointment with yourself. And just like, you know, you wouldn't say yes to something for a time that you're supposed to be at work, because that's non-negotiable. You're scheduled to be at work, you've got to be there. Just like that this time that is yours for your hobby, for what you love to do, is also off-limits to anyone else to make any plans for you. It's your non-negotiable. Can we keep talking about being intentional for just a little while longer? Because really it is all about being intentional with your time. That's what makes the difference between having time for self-care and not. So my next tip for you is to take intentional breaks throughout your day. So this is not those breaks that you take, you know, when you've been working for four hours straight, and you're so tired and drained, and you just can't keep going anymore? Not those breaks. These are breaks that you actually plan for throughout your day, so that you don't have to take those "oh my god I'm so tired, I'm so burnt out" breaks. And how are you gonna be able to do that? By setting boundaries. At work and in your personal life, you have to have boundaries. So if you're that person who makes a regular habit of working through lunch and not taking your breaks, I'm talking to you. And if you're that person who's over-committing in your personal life and saying yes to everything that everyone asks of you, I am talking to you. You need to have some boundaries, because that's the only way that you're gonna be able to prioritize yourself and really give yourself the time that you need, so that you can show up better everywhere else. You cannot pour from an empty cup! And I know that's such a cliche saying at this point, but it's so true. If you are not fulfilled, if you're not taken care of, you're not happy, you're not gonna be showing up as the best version of yourself for anything else. So even though you may be saying yes, you're really just saying yes out of obligation and guilt and you're not putting your best foot forward. You're going to burn out this way. So make sure that you have those boundaries and you stick to them, and you communicate them to the people in your life. And the next tip that I have for you is to let go of the pressure and guilt that you're putting on yourself, whether that is for setting those boundaries and saying no to some things, or even if it's for maybe sometimes not making the good choices for yourself. Maybe you're not always on top of this self-care thing. Don't feel bad if you some days you're just not taking care of yourself. If you're making the unhealthy choices don't feel bad, don't let that get you down. You're not a failure. None of us are perfect. We don't do this a hundred percent of the time, none of us do. But as long as you're on the right track and you're trying to change your mindset to making sure that you're consciously making yourself a priority in your life, then you're doing well, you're doing great, and just keep making more of those choices that put your well-being first and every once in a while if you make a mistake, that's okay! It's not another thing to feel guilty and, you know, stressed out by. And treat the things that make you happy as any other priority. The things that make you happy, whether they're material things or experiences, they're not something that you need to earn by doing everything that you "have to" do. You deserve all the happiness that you desire. If you want to do something just because that would make you happy, do it! You don't need permission, you don't need to, you know, meet a whole bunch of expectations before you do that. If it makes you happy, then it's important to you, then you get to do it, just because that's what makes you happy. That's all. That's all the reason that you need. It makes you happy, it's a priority, you do it. So let me know in the comments below what is one thing that's a sure-fire way to make yourself happy? Even if you're in a bad mood it can pick you up. So for me that's dance. Oh my god! I have been a dancer since I was like 6 years old and if I can just put on some music and dance around, doesn't matter what kind of mood I was in before, I'm happy. I'm all good! So what is that thing for you what is one thing that you can do, or you know, an experience, a person that you can hang out with, whatever it is, what is one thing that you can do at any time to make yourself happy? And just like knowing the things that you can do to just boost your happiness, also think about your future. Make sure that you have a purpose. Like, really dig deep and figure out what is that ideal life, the dream life, that you would love to be living. Where does that take you in five years, in ten years? What is the life that you want? Figure that out and then make a plan for yourself. How are you gonna get there? Set some goals and actively work on making that dream life your reality. That is the best form of self-care that you can practice. To make sure you know what kind of life you want to live and that you're actively creating that life for yourself. So we've talked now a little bit about the physical aspects of self-care and how to ensure that you're prioritizing your mental well-being also. And when it comes to your mental and emotional well-being, another huge factor that affects all of us in the present day and age is the Internet. Now I'm not gonna sit here and tell you to get off social media or get off the internet, because let's face it, I love social media too. But the tip that I want to give you is to protect your peace when you're online. Take some time to really detoxify your feed. Make sure you're not following anyone that's making you feel any less of yourself, or making you feel bad. There's a lot of negativity and toxicity out there, and you don't need to be seeing that on a daily basis. A lot of us, you know, pick up our phones to take a break, but then we end up feeling worse about ourselves by a lot of the things that we see.

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