The Self-Care Toolkit

The summer often brings a slower pace of life, holidays and catching our breath before September. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to use this month to replenish. We all have different ways to elements to our self-care toolkit. In this blog, we will explore some simple strategies that can make a difference to our energy levels. 

Structured Thinking Time

Consider adding coaching or reflection time in the diary to pause and reset. In coaching sessions, we have much-needed time to verbalise our thoughts out loud, and by doing so, we gain greater clarity than if we keep them in our heads. Part of self-care is being able to notice what’s going on for us so that we can increase our awareness and adjust our approach. 

Who could support you with your thinking?

Sense of Purpose

Connecting with meaningful work gives us a sense of purpose. Working out what purpose means to you is the first step. Consider the work you find most energising and seek out those moments that you are in flow, where the time just flies. Purpose is often linked to our values, so reflecting on the values that matter most to us is also useful.

How can you find ways to create even more in flow moments?

What values matter to me the most?

Creating Space

Having free space in the diary can create moments of satisfaction – where we can pause, get creative, catch up on admin, or just be. Carving out regular space in the diary is the first step to utilising it well. 

Where and how could you carve out regular time in your diary?

What would you use the time for?

Physical and Mental Activities

I really value some of my regular routines, as part of my self-care toolkit, that help me thrive. Here are some examples:

• Walking every day, particularly before work.
• Breathing – I use an activity called a three-minute breathing space, three times a day, where I notice my breath. 
• FOFBOC (feet on floor, bum on chair) – this is a concept for bringing myself back to the present moment when things get frantic. Close your eyes and notice the contact of your body with the floor and the chair. It can be a quick way to bring about calm. 
• Journalling – I use this both for noticing moments of gratitude, and I also write down difficult emotions or experiences as a way of processing them and letting go. Taking the learnings rather than holding on to it.  
• Treats – I love having a mix of things to help me thrive. These include:
  • Time with friendsSpecial food/ meals out, for example I love lobster!Spa daysListening to my favourite musicSpontaneous free time where I choose to do whatever I feel likeBeing with my sons and being a part of their livesBuying myself flowers
  • Looking at the flowers in my garden 

What would you add to the list that helps you thrive?

Mindset

Paying attention to your mindset can help you adjust it when needed. The concept of fixed and growth mindset is useful here as it reminds us that we all have moments where we feel we can’t achieve things and other moments where we are more positive. What matters is that we notice when we have slipped into a negative way of thinking as we can quickly make adjustments. Starting to notice what your triggers are that bring about a negative mindset can be a good starting point. For example, is it when you receive developmental feedback? Is it when you are in a particular meeting with a particular person? Awareness is crucial for returning to a more focused, positive mindset. 

Connection

I really value connecting with others. Being an extrovert, I create moments every day to talk things through and be with others. I know that I also need my own time as well.  

Productivity

Identifying when you are at your most productive can make us be more productive. Some people are more productive first thing in the morning, others later in the day, so identifying your own unique working pattern can make it much easier to be productive. There are also techniques to support our productivity – I am a particular fan of the Pomodoro technique, which is based on short stretches of focused work with breaks in between. It is also useful to consider the systems around our work and how we can make them even more effective. For example, diary systems for booking meetings, taking breaks, or delegating tasks to others. 

The Self-Care Toolkit In Summary

Taking time for replenishment really supports our overall well-being and productivity. In the summer months, I encourage you to consider what helps you to be at your best. I find taking holidays to switch off completely also supports me and I come back feeling refreshed and ready to go again. What supports your well-being? If you would like to explore this idea further and identify your self-care toolkit, please get in touch to arrange a no-obligation discovery call.