Non-Negotiable Self Care

Vivienne McMaster has the most delightful website www.viviennemcmaster.com and recently wrote a post on the topic of non-negotiable self care, click here to read her post: http://www.viviennemcmasterphotography.com/2013/03/22/my-company-self-care-policies/

In the post she talks about the requirement for non-negotiable self care. Since reading the post I’ve been thinking a lot about what would go on my own list of non-negotiable self-care practices.

When we’re under stress, feeling overwhelmed our self-care practices ate the first to fall by the wayside. But what if our self-care during these times of increased tension and pressure we actually placed more importance and commitment to those self-care practices that support and nourish us as we navigate our way with grace through more stressful times.

McMaster is right when she says that these times and practices are just as important as the times we spend in front of the computer or in meetings.

What if 5 minutes of meditation rewards you with 50 minutes of fresh thinking throughout your day?

In my book Be Your Own Best Life Coach I write about a habit I adopted called Strategic Deceit. This is where if I need a day dedicated to writing I actually write the day as a meeting into my diary. This way when I get a phone call or receive an email asking for a meeting or for some kind of work to be done on that day I can confidently say that I am already booked out. This way I give the same importance to my writing and creative work, as I do to meetings and other forms of the business that often supersede our creative work.

Recently on my way to work to deliver a training course I abandoned the crowds of people trying to get down the escalators at Highbury & Islington tube station and decided to walk from the station to the Angel.

My walk along Upper Street turned into a wander and I enjoyed drinking in the fresh morning air and the thinking and sensing space that walking freed up in me.

By the time I arrived at my destination of the sultry landscape of Kings Cross St Pancras I felt like my body had been given a mental, physic and energetic work over. Walking is on one of my non-negotiable self care practices for this reason. As much as I might resist it or convince myself I don’t have time even a 15 minute walk leaves me feeling replenished in some way.