b'SELF CARE GUIDE|Whatever self-care-oriented items wouldFast (and Free!) Ways tomake it onto your to-do list, you need to find room for them. Practice Self-CareGIVING IN TO THE NEGATIVEIf youve been busy ignoring your own needs,Y ou know the importance of self-care. The reality, though, is that it can be tough to it can be easy to start focusing too much onfind an hour for the gym 3-4 times a week, or to hit the golf course every Saturday, what others are doingand what theyreor for whatever activities help recharge your battery. doing wrong. This is a sure sign that youBut there are fast and free activities that can fit into any hectic schedule, and can be need to de-stress, writes Ackrill in the afore- done at work, according to Inc. For example:mentioned AIS piece.You know you are more critical, moreMAKE A CHECKLISTnegative when something in you is off. AndSyed Balkhi, co-founder of WPBeginner, suggests creating a checklist to get organized you know judging never actually leaves youand to fend off feelings of being overwhelmed. feeling better.You can then prioritize your tasks and cross them off, says Balkhi. Creating a check-The human brain has a negative bias tolist can make a mountain of work seem manageable and can reduce your stress levels.protect you, but your frontal lobe puts the brakes on that negativity to support empathyHAVE A HOT BEVERAGEand positivity. Wear out your brakes and judg- Jared Weitz, CEO of United Capital Source Inc. takes time out for a cup of tea to re-cen-ing is second nature. ter himself. Take these destructive thoughts as anInstead of guzzling my tea down before heading into my next meeting or task, I sit qui-opportunity to do something constructive,etly and drink the tea without any other demands, Weitz told Inc. I remove all the multi-says Ackrill.tasking and distractions to focus on one simple task: drinking a beverage. It slows the mind Let negativity be your indicator light.and gives me just the right amount of calm before heading back to focus on work tasks. Check in. What do you need to get back to your happier outlook? THINK ABOUT YOUR BREATHINGAlfredo Atanacio, co-founder of virtual assistant services provider Uassist.me, urges tak-EATING TOO UNHEALTHY, TOO OFTEN ing a pause and paying attention to your breath.Its not always easy to eat the way we should.You shut out the world for a while and you focus on your breathing, closing your eyes The unhealthier stuff is often faster and, yes, itand counting to 10. Personally, this helps me recharge my energy and face the rest of my usually tastes pretty good. And most foods areday in a calmer and more focused way.fine in moderation. But when you find yourself taking the unhealthy option more often thanREFERENCEnot, its time to reassess your eating habits.Inc. 2020. Accessed April 17, 2020. [https://www.inc.com/young-entrepreneur-council/Bianca Buliga writes about the connectionfeeling-overwhelmed-at-work-8-self-care-activities-that-take-5-minutes-or-less.html]between unhealthy food and an unhealthy body and mind for Seed Spot: Stress has a way of changing our routinestries-rankings/3568251002/]Have you ever watched Super Size Me,and forcing us to take the faster, easier andThe American Institute of Stress, 2017. the documentary about the guy who onlymore convenient way out, writes Buliga. IfAccessed April 12, 2020 [https://www.ate McDonalds for every meal over a 30-dayyoure stuck in back-to-back meetings, makestress.org/self-care-is-not-a-luxury]period? she asks.sure you pack a snack, even if its a protein barLifehack.org, 2018. Accessed April By the end of the documentary, not onlyor a bag of mixed nuts. Bring your lunch as14, 2020. [https://www.lifehack.had he gained 24 pounds, he had experiencedoften as possible, avoid eating at your desk,org/427218/6-signs-you-havent-made-unforeseen changes in his energy, mentaland make sure youre fueling your body withself-care-your-top-priorityhealth and productivity. the high-quality food it needs.n Wellness Force, 2019. Accessed April Morgan Spurlock, the filmmaker who15, 2020. [https://www.lifehack.directed and starred in Super Size Me, wentREFERENCES org/427218/6-signs-you-havent-made-on a 30-day fast-food binge for the sake of theThe American Institute of Stress,self-care-your-top-priority]documentary he was making. For most aver- 2019. Accessed April 12, 2020 [https:// Seed Spot, 2017. Accessed April age working people, poor food choices arewww.usatoday.com/story/news/ 15,2020.[ht tps://seedspot.often made for the sake of convenience; toworld/2019/04/25/gallup-emotions-re- org/4-signs-urgent-need-self-care/#]save time during a frenetic day.port-2019-top-happiest-saddest-coun-16 SELF CARE GUIDE|2020| www.elitecme.com'