It’s so easy to let self-care slip when you’re constantly juggling increasing demands, daily stress and digital fatigue. The catch-22 is that sacrificing self-care means sacrificing your balance, energy and the mental clarity you need to actually stay productive. So, it’s no wonder that prioritizing self-care is absolutely essential for everyday productivity and overall well-being.
I’m a big believer in work-life balance and investing in self-care, and so is my team. I’ve cultivated my whole company culture around it, and we even create colorful, motivational and practical tools that help us all prioritize self-care and health & wellness so we can feel our best, perform at our best and live our best lives.
We recently had a company-wide breathing exercise where we took 30 minutes to learn about the power of breath and how mindfulness and guided breathing can increase productivity.
While it’s important for companies to recognize and encourage self-care in the workplace and continue to foster events like our breathing exercise, it’s even more important to buy into it on a personal level. By investing in your own well-being and mental health, you’re ensuring you are more fully committed and dedicated to being the best you that you can be. I’ve outlined my seven top tips for increasing productivity and organization through self-care.
7 Simple Self-Care Tips for Increased Productivity
1. Be intentional!
I’m a huge advocate of setting intentions and writing things down. Whether you set yearly resolutions or not, writing down your goals for what you want to achieve is the first step towards attaining them! Equally as important is being intentional with how you want to spend your time. This is a good place to prioritize self-care. Time is so precious, and streamlining how and who you devote that time to is almost as important as the end goal.
2. Set mini-milestones for self-care and daily productivity.
Whatever your goal is, make sure you determine markers and milestones to celebrate the achievements along the way! Committing to a new routine is HARD! From prioritizing healthier eating, a new workout routine to adjusting your schedule to fit in 7 to 8 hours of sleep, celebrate that progress is often much more beautiful than perfection. I find it easier to use a Wellness Log for setting those goals, tracking your habits and progress and logging sleep, water intake and more.
3. Find a support system.
Whether it’s your family, friends, or this incredible planner community, find your tribe! Without support, it’s hard to stay motivated or focused on the end goal. My family keeps me motivated to work hard, so I can come home & play hard. Finding work-life balance is something I’m always striving for because it’s key to productivity and well-being.
4. Don’t be afraid to not have it all together, all the time!
I like to say, “I may be losing my marbles, but at least I know where they are!” When it comes to being productive while finding time to care for yourself, it’s okay to not always have it all together. Organization provides you the structure so that when things fall apart, you have the proper tools in place to get you back in control and on track.
5. PLAN ahead and make time for what matters.
To ensure that 2020 is your most productive and healthiest year yet, set aside dedicated time! Use your planning system (for me, that’s my LifePlanner™!) as your blueprint for your days and weeks. Build in time for planning and for preparing healthy meals, add stickers encouraging you to drink more water, or schedule Sunday self-care sessions to develop good habits! No matter what you’re looking to improve upon, the first step is developing a PLAN.
6. Reduce stress by writing things down.
I think it’s fascinating that the simple act of journaling and the very feel of paper can help us reduce stress, improve creativity and even get better sleep! From writing in a blank notebook to being more intentional with a dedicated self-care journal and productivity notebook, check in with your thoughts and emotions and take control of your to-dos by simply writing them down. Then notice how it helps reduce stress and reset your mindset!
7. Take 20 in 2020!
Make a habit of taking back some of your time in 2020. Just 20 minutes on a Sunday can prepare you for a more productive, less stressful week. And timely breaks throughout the day to unplug, reset and recharge actually helps you get more done! I like to use a stress-free timer like an hourglass to make sure I get my 20 minutes in. Afterward, I feel refreshed, focused and ready to take on the next task.