Essential Self-Care Strategies for Balancing Stress and Success

Time and again, packed with our daily hectic schedule we forget that our body requires rest. Attending meetings, doing lots of paperwork, the pressure of reaching the deadline on time and whatnot, unrests the body, and urges to slow down. The response to work becomes so important that people start cutting off the time which was spared to relax or socialize. And, in that process, we also sometimes skip food.

To manage and keep up with this restless lifestyle, keeping aside the health won’t prove helpful in the long run. Self-care here doesn’t mean that you are being selfish towards yourself, it’s just to ensure that you fuel up for continuing towards your commitment.

Here’s why you should not push aside your health for the sake of your work goals:

1. If you keep imposing excessive strain on your body, a point comes when you can’t push yourself enough. Your body can’t get motivated as you are worn-out and end up finishing off the work haphazardly. Inactive mind and body results in work to be sluggish, thus input reduces. The amount of work we could finish off in a certain amount of time now takes more than usual. 
2. Maintaining a positive balance with mind, body and, work is crucial for a positive vibe around. Until a constructive and positive ambiance is attained, it becomes stressful and unmanageable at the same time. So, for personal peace and growth, stress out less and don’t brush off over health.
3. It has been examined that work stress leads to health-related complications. Problems such as anxiety, fatigue, stress, insomnia, and depression start persuading. It becomes crucial to take a pause and concentrate elsewhere. Have a good mood-lifting meal or ring-up someone to talk. Ensure you stay sharp at work and healthy as well and to do so, you need to stop overextending your work hours and take some break. Also, maintaining a professional boundary keeps one organized and emotionally boosted.
4. Robert Owen was a labor activist back in 1817. He suggested that one must work for 8 hours, refresh for 8 hours, and sleep for 8 hours, contributing to a total of 42 hours of work in a week. This has helped people bring off a perfect blend of time management, work rate, and happy aura.
5. Continuous working over the desk in the same position and carrying a similar movement induces neck and back impediment. Apart from this, the eyes work hard to concentrate on the work, be it your ceaseless paper works or your computer screens. The pitfall of eyes goes on until it gets tired and aches your head. So, take great care of every organ while you work as every one of them are linked with each other.

Apart from this, there are some quick self-care checklist one must develop that is easy and also very important;

1. Try an at-home workout
2. Try a new craft
3. Wake up at least two hours early
4. Do your hair, look good
5. Have a hot coffee (don’t overdo)
6. Light a candle
7. Take a bubble bath
8. Socialize and talk out
9. Slow down and meditate
10. Give yourself credit, boost yourself
11. Remind feeling anxious is okay
12. Cut off, negative and toxic people
13. Plan your day time before or in advance.
14. Declutter useless things around, stay hygienic
15. Make a vision board and be proud to express it
16. Criticize less and let go grudges.
17. Accept who you are; seek no validation from others
18. Laugh out heartily
19. Stay hydrated
20. Sleep enough

There are endless points one can put into practice. The motive is to attain some personal peace while also being a workaholic at the same time.

If you have reached this part of the blog, I guess you must be relating the stress level with you and want to come out of it. It’s just a matter of pressure handling with some planning in advance so that everything doesn’t piles up for the last moment. The right kind of food catalyzes the output, you must have sensed that.

Nutrition Balance

 If you are among those people who pay no heed to food and keep every priority above it, then you aren’t doing a favor to your professional life. Prolonged sitting and working cause obesity in people, indecent metabolic function, imbalanced hormones, and inflammations. Uptake of vitamin B complex supplement is suggested for proper metabolic functioning and also to fulfill the body requirement, which is not possible through normal meals.

Other recommended food choices include

• Yogurt– Contains nearly all the required proteins.
• Oatmeal– Start your day with a warm bowl of oatmeal. It helps to release serotonin, a happy hormone that calms down our body. 
• Dark chocolate– It is the best antidepressant one can have. It induces a calming and soothing effect on the brain.
• Almonds – When the stress level is at a peak, taking a few almonds by the side will relieve you.
• Apple – Contains antioxidants and phytonutrients, that release serotonin and reduces anxiety.
• Jalapeno – It fights inflammation and savior for heart-related diseases. Also, eases depression and anger.
• Orange– Lowers blood pressure, detoxifies the body, reduces cortisol hormone which is responsible for building stress.
• Chia with Flaxseeds – Adding them to your smoothies, yogurt or baked goods incredibly increases the nutrition. Improves brain health and adds omega-6 and omega-3 to your diet.

Foods you must cut down to ease your anxiety and stress level –

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• Studies have shown that consuming processed food has affected mental health adversely. The effect is of psychological disturbance in women and increased anxiety levels in both. So check on the food ingredients if you are a workaholic and are habituated to grab something fast and readily cooked just to save time and effort.
• Over caffeine consumption can run your emotions wild. Yes, it does keeps you going but, is extremely addictive.
• Immediately cut down the alcohol use for calming your pressure. It is a depressant and will slow you down.
• Get out and enjoy some sunlight. Provide your body with a high serum level of vitamin-D. Try using dairy foods, egg, and animal proteins in a bounded level as it links with anxiety and stress.

Self-care is not an indulgence or being self-centric. It is something we need for our mindful thought patterns and for feeling energetic. Self-care never demands a big chunk of time rather; it builds your endurance to face hardships and prevent burnout.