By Janice Simon

Are you making time for yourself, Auntie? Engaging in self-care is important for yourself and those who love you, and it increases your resiliency and reduces stress.

Practicing regular self-care also is a great role model moment for your nieces and nephews.

With jam-packed schedules, making the time to take care of yourself can feel difficult. Here are a few ways for you to sneak it in.

Multitask While Watching TV. Floss while watching TV. It’s a great way to create a habit, and your dentist will be happy. Other self-care habits to do while getting some screen time: painting nails, do some stretches or squats, apply a facial mask, or massage lotion onto your arms, legs, feet and hands.

Just don’t do something while watching intense shows. You don’t want to hurt yourself.

Have a Regular Bedtime. Sleep is becoming one of the most productivity tools we have, and we don’t take advantage of it like we should. Just like kids have a regular bedtime, so should adults. Disconnect from your devices at least 30 to 45 minute before hitting the sheets. On the weekends or days off, keep to a similar bedtime and wake time schedule whenever possible.

Add a Vegetable. Take one small step to be kind to yourself. It could be adding a vegetable to your meal to improve your health, learning a new skill, taking short walking breaks throughout the day, putting aside a few bucks for savings, or adding meditation to your day. Try your small step for 30 days and see what happens.

Schedule a Date with Yourself. Set a date on the calendar and take yourself out for something relaxing and fun, such as a massage, a pedicure, a trip to a museum, or a nice lunch. Go with friends or by yourself.

While your calendar is out, call your doctor and dentist and make those annual appointments if you’re overdue for an exam.

Have an Adventure. In a recent Fast Company article, a Cornell psychology professor discusses his research on how choosing experiences over things actually increases your happiness. Buying things may increase our happiness for a moment, but an experience is longer lasting. Sharing those adventures with your nieces and nephews is great for them, and it leads to fabulous story-telling for later days.

By making time for yourself, you will feel less stressed and overwhelmed. After all, you are worth it.

Published: April 7, 2015
Photo: Maridav