Why Self-Care is More Productive in the Long-Run

Culture today constantly tells us, “keep pushing,” “there aren’t enough hours in the day,” “hustle,” or “work harder”. We are always receiving messages that what we’re doing is not enough, who we are is not enough, or if we just worked a little bit harder, we would be enough. We’re always looking to the next thing. How can I improve myself? What can I do to help me get to the next thing? Just one more thing before I rest.

What if living this way is just making us feel tired all the time? We’re exhausted, our energy and resources are depleted, and we’re no longer set up to see things through. No matter how badly we want to succeed, by living this way, we’re not setting ourselves up for success.

So, what does it look like to set ourselves up for success? It looks like self-care. It looks like taking breaks, grounding ourselves, and replenishing our resources.

It looks like taking naps and taking baths. It’s going to bed early even if you haven’t finished everything on your list. It’s taking time to cook a nice meal, and sometimes it’s take-out. It looks like going on a run, or taking the day off from the gym. Some days it’s just rolling the windows down on the way home. It’s noticing the wind on your face and the flowers blooming.

It’s doing whatever you need to do to make you feel like your head is above water for a minute. It’s finding those moments to breathe deep. It’s knowing that you are worthy whether or not you complete your to-do list, that you are enough whether or not you are productive. Your ability to be loved has nothing to do with what you do and everything to do with who you are.

When we live from a place of rest, instead of a place of striving, we are able to focus and align ourselves with our goals. We can let the anxiety and the pressure of others fall to the wayside and have more of ourselves to give to our dreams. Take time to take care of you; you’re worth it.