Prioritizing Self-Care

As recently posted in the Emma Joy Weekly Newsletter

Avoiding Burnout Requires Routine Rest


Good day, everyone!


If you are anything like me, you find it difficult to relax. You feel almost guilty for taking the time to wind down, or simply don't know what it means to do nothing. For years now, unless I am cleaning, cooking, reading, writing, exercising, or having a profound conversation with someone, I have almost felt like I was doing something wrong. Like I couldn't just be still and always had to be productive in some way, always had to be contributing value in some way, always had to be striving to make a difference.


Something I have learned over the past several months is that self-care (that is, making time to slow down, schedule in times of doing nothing at all, and accepting the fact that God gave us the capacity for rest and we would all be wise to do so regularly) is undeniably needed for us to remain healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.


We need to schedule in leisure time, just like we need to schedule in exercise and drinking plenty of water daily and getting adequate sleep.


Whatever is going on in your life, whatever stressors you are facing and burdens you are carrying, by all means, please add taking naps, drinking tea, taking walks, sitting in the sunshine, driving without the radio on (as silence is golden and healing), and hobbies to your regular routine. If you enjoy playing an instrument, make this part of your schedule. If you enjoy watching or playing sports, write the days and times you will do so on your wall calendar or in your planner. If you enjoy going to the library, or the park, or being a homebody despite the busyness of so many people around you, add it to your week or month.


I am learning that a person can be productive and keep up with chores, friendships, family, work, and school even while making time for oneself in order to recuperate, recharge, and simply rest on an ongoing basis.


You may even want to unplug from all social media, cable TV, social events that aren't absolutely mandatory, and learn to set boundaries so your time isn't dictated by the overwhelming expectations of others. I haven't had cable TV for several years and deactivated all my social media accounts early 2018 and I am not planning on ever going back. I have even stopped looking at all social media except for a few beneficial YouTube channels and highly encourage you to not feel the need to be in the know as the culture would have you believe is necessary.


I wish each of you well at the start of this new year and would enjoy hearing about any changes you have implemented over the last few months or changes you are in the midst of making in order to increase your well-being and add to your quality of life.


Our choices matter and every single one counts because it is leading us somewhere. But let us also keep this encouraging quote in mind:


"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier.'" Alfred Lord Tennyson