You, Beyoncé and the Importance of Self Care

By Sara Butler

The world is a stressful place. Between politics, work, family, and the stunning news that Jay-Z actually cheated on Beyoncé, you’ve got all the stress you can handle. As you celebrate the hard work you do all year long by doing even more hard work to organize a picnic for family and friends on Labor Day, we here at The Joint Chiropractic think that it’s time to take a break in order to talk about the importance of self-care. So sit back, kick your feet up, and let us take you on a relaxing, calming journey to understand why self-care is so crucial to your physical and mental health (because you know Beyoncé does it).

What is Self-Care?

OK, so the term “self-care” seems a bit fluffy – we know. But it’s not some indulgent idea that requires a fuzzy robe, bunny slippers, and bonbons. Self-care is simply a few straightforward habits you can incorporate into your day in order to help make it better.

There’s this idea permeating our society that the harder you work for something, the larger the reward will be. On its face, it’s not a bad idea. It is true that hard work will get you ahead in life. The problem is it’s easy to take that whole “hard work pays off” approach so far that it becomes counterproductive. If you work yourself to the point of exhaustion, then you’re not going to hone your skills, you’ll dull them. You won’t be sharp as a tack because you’re simply being inefficient. That’s why self-care is so darn important!

The Benefits of Practicing Self-Care

It’s so easy to neglect yourself. For many people, even a small reprieve feels like self-indulgent -- and maybe even a little wrong. Well, that attitude will get you nowhere! You need to take time to exercise, be social, and even take a break to eat your lunch from time to time. If you don’t, then you may suffer the consequences, such as:

• Burnout
• Negative impact of stress on your health
• Losing focus

You can’t view self-care as a reward. Instead, view it as something vital that is a part of your recipe for success. It’s taking care of yourself so you can be at your best -- and that’s it!

Ways to Practice Self-Care

There are several ways you can work self-care into your everyday life. Remember, the more you do it, the more it will simply become a habit. You can practice self-care by:

• Making time to exercise – It’s so easy to push exercise to the back burner when you’re busy because it requires time and energy you may feel you don’t have. Guess what? You have it! Make time for exercise in your daily routine. Take a group exercise class or find a workout buddy to help keep you accountable. Be like Nike and just do it.
• Making time to eat – This may sound a bit silly because everyone has to eat, right? Well, it’s not as simple as that. How many times do you skip lunch or just grab something quick from the vending machine? That’s not caring for yourself. Plan ahead so you can avoid processed food and eat healthy, avoiding junk food as a “reward.”
• Creating good emotional hygiene habits – Yes, emotional hygiene is a thing. Find ways to effectively and healthily deal with anxiety, stress, feelings of sadness, or depression. Don’t ignore your feelings but instead acknowledge them and identify them. Keep a journal to serve as a platform to vent and write in it for a few minutes each night. You’ll feel better!
• Seeing your chiropractor – It takes just a few minutes out of your day to protect your health by visiting your chiropractor at The Joint for just a few minutes. When your body is free from joint dysfunction and restriction, then it can work better – helping you to feel better and be more productive!

The idea of self-care may be new, but it’s important to understand and put into practice in your own life. Take time for yourself, develop good habits, and you may be surprised by how much easier it is to get things done and feel good! It’s what Beyoncé would want for you.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.