4 Innovative Ways To Give Back To Yourself Throughout The Day

If we are being honest with ourselves, finding ways to give back to ourselves throughout the day is challenging.

Our schedules fill up quickly, leaving little room for downtime.

It is incredibly important for your physical and mental health to increase your self-care. 

Making wellness a priority will lead to a more productive life and can improve your overall health. Considering self-care as a non-negotiable commitment that must be kept, is an effective way to shift your mindset about how important it truly is.

Small steps towards self-care may take very little time but will develop into healthy habits that you can maintain long-term. 

Taking the first step towards actively caring for yourself can be scary.

In the United States, it is ingrained in us to be hardworking. This can lead to +40 hours per week of grinding at a job that we do not enjoy.

We are often made to feel shame for taking time for ourselves and saying no when we feel like we have nothing left to give.

This mentality that has existed in society for so long can become toxic.

It’s understandable why so many are struggling with their mental health when this is how we are expected to live. Fortunately, times are changing, and people are beginning to prioritize wellness more.

Below are some innovative ideas to give back to yourself throughout the day. These don’t take large time or energy commitments, but the reward is bountiful.

1. Guided Meditation 

Meditation has been modernized to become something much more than new age philosophy. It is an effective tool to aid in relaxation, calming the mind and body, and eliminating stress.

It is often used in tandem with other therapies by professionals as it has been proven to be a positive tool for mental health.

Guided meditations can be found virtually anywhere and for free. There are apps you can download on your smartphone that will give you a variety of meditations.

Meditations can start off small, at just five to ten minutes, or can be much longer. This makes them very easy to squeeze into even the most hectic of days.

You can also find guided meditations on a variety of subjects so that you can tailor it to your needs. They can be listened to before bed, after waking up, sitting in the bath, or anywhere you can find a little bit of time to listen.

There are meditations that can help you sleep and help you determine areas of pain in your body, or help you destress and unwind. 

2. Unplug from Technology

It’s easy to be attached to technology when it has so much to offer us.

The internet is a vast place. While there isn’t anything wrong with unwinding by scrolling through social media or watching TV, spending too much time doing that can have more of an effect on us than we may realize. 

Set a timer on your phone, alarm clock, or watch, and use that time to completely unplug from all forms of technology. Stay off social media, and don’t get caught up in binge-watching your favorite show. It can be for a small amount of time initially.

Use this time to do something positive for yourself. Sit outside and enjoy nature or go for a walk. You can even use the time to read a book or journal. 

Staring at a bright screen for a long time can be harsh on our eyes. Although technology offers plenty of great things, like many things in life, it should be done in moderation.

Since most of us are glued to technology for our jobs, it’s refreshing to get away from it for a while and spend some time with ourselves. Take a break and give back to yourself when needed.

3. Visit a Wellness Center

You don’t have to be suffering from pain or discomfort to visit a wellness center. Many people deal with issues like consistent neck or back pain.

Stress can also wreak havoc on our bodies, and we tend to hold a lot of that tension in our bodies. This can lead to physical injuries, aches, and pains.

Wellness centers are comprised of one, or multiple, types of health professionals. Each wellness center is different. Make sure you find one that is the right fit for you.

You can find health professionals such as acupuncturists, chiropractors, yoga instructors, breathwork teachers, and more.

Oftentimes, people visit wellness centers to reconnect more with themselves. Typically, there are holistic approaches to healing at these types of establishments.

We all know what it’s like to be in physical pain. Live your life in an optimal way by giving back to yourself through wellness practices.

You can increase your energy levels, enhance your mood, and make it easier to move your own body.

4. A Forest Bath is one of the great ways to give back to yourself

Getting outside into nature is a powerful way to connect with ourselves and to the earth.

The act of simply breathing in the fresh air and admiring the beauty of nature has been scientifically proven to have positive benefits on our mental health. 

A forest bath is a Japanese practice known as Shinrin-Yoku.

Essentially, you go into a forest, or even just a quiet place with trees and plants, and just simply breathe in your surroundings. We know that trees are our source of oxygen, but they do so much more for us. 

Trees emit a chemical called terpenes that act to naturally destress our bodies.

These have a positive effect on our parasympathetic nervous system. This practice has been studied and shown to be supportive in eliminating symptoms of depression.

Conclusion

Life can feel challenging at times. There is noise from every direction that can distract us or expose us to stress.

Take time to give back to yourself more.

In our society, it’s common to not prioritize increasing your own health and wellness.

Many of us are good at giving, but not as good at receiving. Take these tips and experiment with wellness practices to give back to yourself throughout your day.

There is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how hard times can seem.