How can you prioritize self-care while managing executive demands?

1 Assess your stress level

The first step to prioritizing self-care is to recognize the signs and sources of stress in your life. Stress can affect your physical, mental, and emotional health, and impair your performance and relationships. Some common symptoms of stress include fatigue, headaches, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and depression. To assess your stress level, you can use a simple tool such as the Perceived Stress Scale, which measures how often you feel overwhelmed, nervous, or unable to cope in the past month. You can also identify the main causes of stress in your work and personal life, such as deadlines, conflicts, expectations, or changes.

2 Set healthy boundaries

The second step to prioritizing self-care is to set healthy boundaries for yourself and others. Boundaries are essential for protecting your time, energy, and space. They also help you communicate your needs, preferences, and values, as well as avoid overcommitment, burnout, and resentment. To set healthy boundaries, be clear about your priorities and goals and align your actions with them. Learn to say no to requests or tasks that are not aligned with your priorities or goals or that exceed your capacity or resources. Delegate or outsource tasks that are not essential or that can be done by someone else. Additionally, schedule regular breaks and downtime to recharge and relax, and limit your exposure to negative or toxic people or situations that drain your energy or trigger your stress. Lastly, respect the boundaries of others and expect them to respect yours.

3 Practice self-compassion

The third step to prioritizing self-care is to practice self-compassion. Self-compassion is the ability to treat yourself with kindness, understanding, and forgiveness, especially when you face difficulties. It can help you cope with stress, enhance your emotional intelligence, and build your resilience. To practice self-compassion, you can acknowledge and accept your feelings and emotions without judgement or suppression. You should also recognize that you are not alone in facing hardships and reframe negative thoughts and beliefs with more realistic and positive ones. Additionally, celebrate your achievements and strengths, appreciate your efforts and progress, and seek support and feedback from people who care about you. All of these tips can help you grow and improve.

4 Cultivate healthy habits

The fourth step to prioritizing self-care is to cultivate healthy habits that support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Such habits can reduce stress, boost energy, and improve mood and productivity. To achieve this, you should strive to eat a balanced and nutritious diet while avoiding excessive caffeine, alcohol, or sugar. It is also important to drink enough water throughout the day and get at least seven hours of quality sleep each night. Additionally, exercising regularly and engaging in activities that you enjoy and suit your fitness level can be beneficial. Moreover, meditating or practicing other mindfulness techniques can help calm your mind and body while increasing your awareness and focus. Finally, learning something new or pursuing a hobby or passion can help stimulate your brain and creativity.

5 Review and adjust

To review and adjust your self-care plan regularly, you should monitor your stress level to understand how it affects your health, performance, and relationships. Additionally, evaluate your boundaries to ensure they are effective and respected. Assessing your self-compassion will help you be kind and supportive to yourself. Tracking your healthy habits will help you determine if they are consistent and beneficial. Seeking feedback and advice from others is also important to see if they have any suggestions or recommendations to improve your self-care. Lastly, make changes or improvements to your self-care plan as needed to suit your changing needs and goals.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?