It sounds like the stuff of snake oil, but research has demonstrated self-care approaches reduce stress, improve immunity and increase productivity.
There’s power in reclaiming a few hours of the week for you. While taking time to hit pause from the work grind might sound like a radical idea – especially if you’re a mother, or a workaholic, or both – Arianna Huffington manages to maintain a weekly self-care ritual, and so should you.
Need convincing that you should regularly practice self-care? Watch psychologist and author Guy Winch make a case for emotional hygiene by taking care of your mind in the same way as your body.
Abyanga is the daily Ayurveda practice of self-massage. It’s believed to restore the balance of the doshas and enhance well-being and longevity, and is easy to do. But if even if this is too woo woo for you, there’s no denying a good slather of scented moisturising oil feels incredible and lifts your mood.
Your journey to and from the office is an untapped opportunity to up your weekly activity. A comprehensive study published last year, showed commuters who biked or walked to work had a lower risk of heart attack or another heart-related event. While you’re at it, mix up your route for the bonus benefits of active meditation.
There’s something gratifying about slipping a sheet mask on your face on a Sunday evening and forcing yourself to sit still. While you’re there, why not multitask with a rich and luxurious hair oil.
Wabi-sabi pottery has now become a staple in aesthetically-conscious homes. But the benefits of working clay on a wheel suggest it’s something everyone should try at least once. No matter how novice your efforts, there’s something agreeably imperfect about eating your morning cereal out of a handcrafted bowl. Try your hand at pottery with a local course.
Mindfulness is a billion-dollar industry so it makes sense that meditation and its stress-revealing benefits has become a regular practice of CEOs and senior executives. Learn to meditate in 12 easy steps, then take the 30-day challenge to make meditation a daily habit on the free 1GiantMind app.
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