5 Tips for Self-Care
Tip #1 – Improve Mindfulness
The reason why self-care is so important is to help mediate the stress in our lives that can become overwhelming if left unchecked. One way to combat this is to improve our mindset through mindfulness practices. My two personal favorite ways are through Yoga and Meditation. A peaceful, easy Yoga session can work wonders on the mind allowing you to clear your thoughts and release any tension you may be holding in. Meditation can do the same thing but is easier to do throughout the day whether you are sitting at your desk, in your car, in bed, or even in the locker room.
Tip #2 – Start a New Hobby
Sometimes a great way to refresh and destress is by learning something new and fun. Have you always wanted to take a cooking class but always kept pushing it off? Well there is no time like the present to start a new hobby. Find something you think you would enjoy and try it out. You might discover a new stress relief or meet some new friends out of it. Having something to do outside of your sport can help prevent you from burning out and feeling like you do nothing but train and compete.
Tip #3 – Journal
The easiest way to express yourself and get any stressors out of your head is to simply put them on paper. Journaling is a good way to reflect and decompress after a long day or week. You can use your journal as a place to write down goals and reflect on your improvements over the past week or talk about recent performances. This will help you track your progress and increase motivation while also being a healthy outlet for stress and emotional coping.
Tip #4 – Play for Fun
Every time you lace up your shoes, dive in the pool, or even have a game night, you don’t have to always be competing. It is okay to go to the park and play basketball for fun as a way to hang out with your teammates or friends while doing something you love. Sometimes it is easy to forget that you love what you do if you are always in a go-go-go mindset.
Tip #5 – SLEEP
Possibly the most overlooked aspect of taking care of one’s self. If you aren’t consistently getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep, your body is probably feeling the effects of it and your mind definitely is. Even if you think you are managing fine with your 5 hours a night and 2 cups of coffee in the morning, you would be less stressed and more energized if you got a full night of sleep instead. Athletic performance will increase, academic performance will increase, and mood changes and stress will both decrease with proper sleep.
Try some of these tips and watch as your stress levels decline and your happiness spikes!
