When is it Okay to Treat Yourself?
If you have at least once in your life felt guilty for taking time off or time to yourself, this article by Rasha Janie is for you. Read about some of the "tips and tricks" on how to treat yourself and why that is so important.
Being productive all the time just isn't practical. The responsible thing to do is staying on top of your obligations like your career, family, and bills, sure, but there's nothing wrong with indulging in things once in a while. Self-care is a buzzword that has been floating around in the wellness space for quite some time now, but why do we actually need it?
Why it's important to treat yourself
For starters, deprivation is not a healthy way to form good habits. You may think that you're productive by working yourself to the bone, but cutting out things that make you happy just prevents you from living a healthy and happy life. You don't want to end up with feelings of resentment, frustration, and depletion only because you don't allow yourself to indulge.
Not to mention, taking the time to treat and reward yourself can make you feel rejuvenated, improve your mood, and prevent burnout. In short: treating yourself is crucial to you overall wellbeing.
How to treat yourself
Source: Pixabay
Purchase items from your wishlist
If you're like most people, you probably have a running list of things you'd like to have. Whether it's a mental list or one that's written down on paper, many of us have something that we want to purchase but haven't done so because of multiple reasons, with practicality being the first and foremost.
But once in a while, there's nothing wrong with treating yourself by buying one or two things from your list, provided that they fit into your budget. It can be a book you've always had your eye on, supplies for a project you've been meaning to work on, or maybe clothing, shoes, or jewellery. It can even be an experience, like going to a concert or an art exhibition.
Treat yourself to things you like once in a while. After all, the money you're going to spend was earned from your own hard work.
Have a mental health day
It's normal to feel stressed, but if you feel like your stress levels have reached their peak, take it as a signal to take a quick break to reset. Taking a mental health day — a day off specifically for stress relief and preventing burnout — is perhaps the best thing you can do for yourself. While one day isn't enough to solve issues that lead to burnout, a mental health day can do wonders to your mental health. Not only does it give you a much-needed break to pause and regroup, but having a ‘quiet day’ allows you to come back with more energy and a fresher perspective.
Rest and practice yoga
Treating yourself doesn't necessarily have to come from a monetary standpoint. Sometimes, treating yourself comes in the form of taking good care of your wellbeing. It pays to have a rest day and indulging in things that can help you relax your mind and body, like practicing yoga, is always beneficial. While yoga can be intimidating at first, yoga has the capacity to heal your mind and body. It helps alleviate depression, anxiety, and insomnia, providing your mental and physical health a boost as well as introducing some much-needed healing into your routine. After your rest day, you can even integrate yoga into your regular routine, as practicing regularly allows you to focus on the mind, connect with your consciousness, and discover peace.
Dabble in journaling and creative writing
Journaling is a very therapeutic practice that is often used as a tool to combat stress. You can use it to untangle your thoughts and track your mood, or even express your feelings through random doodles. In one study, participants struggling with depression were instructed to journal about their deepest thoughts and feelings. After doing so for 20 minutes a day across three days, most of them reported less depressive symptoms. So the next time you want some ‘me time’, go and pick up a pen and paper.
Exclusively written for bewithclothing.com
By: Rasha Janie
