Self-Care Wins

In today’s world, it is difficult to maintain a healthy self-care habit, especially when you're living in a place that consistently messes with your mental health. The importance of maintaining a healthy self-care routine cannot be overemphasized. However, it is easy to neglect our self-care routine and prioritize other responsibilities. I remember last semester, during exams. I was going for back to back tutorials; I was a tutor for my juniors. Some days, I held tutorials from morning till evening. After back to back tutorials, I also pulled off all nighters to keep up with my studies. I was so engrossed with school activities that I totally forgot to take care of myself. My hair was looking unkempt, and the intriguing part was that I did not notice all these things. I did not know my hair and beard looked unkempt until someone told me about it. That day, I looked at myself in the mirror and immediately, I went to the salon to get a trim.

I understand it is easy to get lost in responsibilities and forget about our self-care routine, but we shouldn't allow a part of us to suffer because of another. Finding balance is not an easy feat. But when it comes to our mental health and self-care routine, we could make things work. For day 16 of the inleo prompt, we are asked to discuss our self care routine. How do you make time for self-care in your busy schedule? What activities help you recharge and relax? How do you prioritize your mental and physical well-being?

I am in my final year, which means I attend classes less frequently than I did in my previous years. I attended classes a maximum of 3 times a week. That seems fair and alright, right? One would think that since I don’t attend classes every day, I would have time to relax. The reverse is the case as I am always busy reading school books and working on my projects. One of the things that helps me relax is good and nice sleep. After a long day, the best way for me to relax is to take a cold shower, jump on my bed, and sleep for hours. It has been raining these past few days, especially at night. Nothing beats sleeping when it is raining or if it has just rained and the weather is cool.

Another one of my self-care routines is treating myself to something nice. I don’t do this very often, but when I do, I make sure I take it to the next level and satisfy my cravings. Whether it is going to the restaurant and buying nice food, or munching on snacks and cold drinks, I enjoy rewarding myself for all the hard work and stress. It is like saying, “Knight in shining armor, this is the reward for your good deeds.” My favorite self-care activity is cooking a delicious soup with lots of meat, fish, and veggies. Preparing the meal is soothing and calming for me. The process of chopping, cooking, and adding the ingredients brings me joy. When I finally sit down to enjoy the soup, I feel happy and content.

Thanks for reading.