How to Build, Optimize, Scale and Secure Your #selfcare Routine

I'm sneaking in under the gun (before October!) to share my secret to a successful self-care routine. My title might be corny, but I am a total nerd at heart!?

When it comes to most things that matter to me in my life, I take a very measured and strategic approach. As a busy entrepreneur, I wear multiple hats every day. Task-switching, fire-fighting, cheerleading, uplifting, empowering. These are powerful opportunities for me to impact my team, our customers and my community; however, they require immense personal energy. They also require that I operate at my personal best as often as possible.

Self-care is essential for me. It just helps life work best and allows me to lead and navigate through life with as much space and grounding as possible. It prepares me physically, mentally, and emotionally using tools and habits I can control to prepare me for those pesky situations I can't control (which happen all the time!)

Building a self-care routine can seem daunting at first! The process is something I have been working on and refining for my entire life. Although you can and should put thoughtful consideration into your own, there are simple ways you can begin caring for yourself right away - that's where scalability comes in! I am going to share my tips on how to build, optimize, and scale a #selfcare routine that will work in your life, regardless of the circumstances.

Build

The first step is to set up a solid foundation for our #selfcare habits and rituals. The CORE element here is to make it YOURS! Be honest with yourself about the things that truly make you feel rejuvenated or recharged. Your #selfcare routine should be as unique and fabulous as YOU are! Be careful not to borrow too much from others that doesn't feel right. If it’s a forced habit or behavior you truly don’t enjoy, it will not recharge your batteries – it will exhaust them more. And moreover, you won’t stick with it.

Example: You may have heard that ice baths are all the rage. You listened to The Huberman Lab Podcast and learned everything about the benefits. You’ve even committed to doing them regularly, bought a horse trough and 100’s of pounds of ice. But… you dread doing it and even after many repetitions, it’s not enjoyable or something you derive pleasure or a perceptible positive impact from. This is your sign to…STOP DOING THEM!

Get clear on what you truly LOVE to do that puts gas back in your tank. Some examples of my self-care forms:

• Cooking a delicious meal
• Taking a long shower?
• Getting a massage
• Reading an enjoyable book
• Hiking with my dog
• Journaling and meditation

These truly are enjoyable practices that I enjoy and benefit from.

Make a list of 30 things that make you happy, laugh, or relax. Associate one “activity” with each item on your list. This is now your “library” of #selfcare practices to use!

Optimize

Once you’ve created your master list of #selfcare practices, it’s time to optimize them. Ask yourself:

• Do I have time for this practice?
• Do I have the resources for this practice?
• Can I commit to repeating this practice in the future?

If your answer is no to any of these questions, please remove this activity from your list. Your #selfcare practices (at least to start) should be seamless and easy to engage in. Once you have narrowed down your list, it’s time to think about when, where and how you’ll find time for them.

• What time of day?
• Solo or with a partner/friend?
• How long does it take?

After you’ve identified answers to these questions, you can put these practices ON YOUR CALENDAR and plan for them!

Scale

Our schedules constantly shift from day to day. Some days we have more freedom and flexibility with our time. Other days we're struggling to fit everything in 24 hours.

There will be times when wrenches will be thrown into your routine. Therefore, it is important to have a scalable routine. My question is... what is the minimum effective dose of self care I can manage on days like today? Maybe that means you commit to 3 minutes of deep breathing. It is profound how even a small practice such as this can have such an impact. Here are some examples of how my self-care routine scales.

During a typical work week (not traveling), I spend the first hour of my day preparing my mind. I drink my morning tea, check and respond to emails, read, journal, and meditate. My next step is to prepare my body. This includes a hike with my dog and a workout at the gym. When I have the time to fit all of this in, it’s a near perfect self care set up for the day..

If I am traveling, have to leave for the airport at 3:30am, or things go awry, I adjust. During my plane ride, I plan to meditate and journal. When I'm traveling, I'll prioritize taking the stairs and choosing healthy foods. It's all about finding the right balance.

On weekends, I? have more time, so I indulge in longer forks of self care like a massage, a Breathwork session or a yoga class with a friend. These activities take more planning and time so are not realistic to include daily or even weekly in some cases. So be realistic and aim to include 1-2 of these more indulgent self care forms once a month. .

Secure

Be sure to protect this time from yourself and others! A bit maniacally! Do your best not to feel guilty or ashamed about spending time on yourself. Having a full cup allows you to give more to others. It's also very important to ask yourself this question. “Is this #selfcare, or self harm?” If you go on a run because you have to and not because you want to, it's not #selfcare. This doesn’t mean there isn't a place for a run in your routine; it merely means you need to ensure you’re also dedicating time each day to activities that TRULY make you feel cared for.

I know that for most of my life I confused these two.

Forcing myself to do a super hard workout after too many nights with too little sleep nights is self-harm.

A long run on a sunny Sunday after a great nights' sleep while listening to a new playlist I love and no time limit is self-care.

Overindulging in a bottle of wine because I JUST CAN’T HANDLE THE STRESS OF LIFE. Is self-harm and we need to start having this dialogue more often.

Having a snack that’s tasty, satisfying and makes you feel energized afterwards while watching a silly TV show is self-care.

Forcing myself to do such a complex biohacking routine on a daily basis that I no longer enjoy living in the brain or body that I am working so hard to “hack,” is self-harm.

Identifying key health non-negotiables that help me feel healthy, happy and grounded is self-care.?

It's important to be in tune with your own #selfcare compass. Without it, we are dependent on others to influence our behavior, or worse, society itself. While learning from others can be helpful, it doesn't replace the hard yet rewarding work of getting to know yourself and meeting your own needs.?

So, have some fun with it! Build, Optimize, Scale and Secure your #selfcare routine and do tell me how it goes and any impact you perceive and things you may learn about yourself along the way.?

With Love,

Betsy