It's no secret that the modern world can be stressful. At times, the stress we feel can seem as though it's overwhelming us. Amidst the hustle culture and being your own boss movements, it can feel like taking time out for yourself and engaging in self-care is frivolous and unimportant.
In reality, taking time out is crucial for our well-being and has a profound impact on our performance and productivity. In this blog post, we're sharing why hustle culture is out and self-care is in. Here is why you need to engage in self-care and take time for yourself:
Mental Health
The number one reason we should all be prioritising self-care is for our mental health. Our capitalist culture has to lead us to believe work and profit are the roots of happiness. In reality, this is not the case. Happiness comes from finding the things that bring you joy, giving yourself space to play and embracing the wonders of the world. Failing to engage in these core human needs results in poor mental health.
We're currently facing a mental health epidemic. The lives and livelihoods of individuals are at stake. Self-care incorporates taking time to engage in activities that bring us joy, but it also means working through any mental health issues we're facing. Engaging in self-care isn't always bubble baths and face masks. Sometimes self-care is doing inner work, so we can better enjoy our lives.
Rest To Recuperate
Although some might not see it this way, we're human beings, not machines. We're not designed to keep working and moving without rest. Our bodies demand time out to rest and recuperate. It's only after taking time out we can work to the best of our abilities.
If you think working yourself till you’re dead on your feet will produce better results, you’re wrong. High levels of productivity and performance come from giving our bodies what we need to function. Sleep, healthy food, activity and hydration are all essential for our wellbeing. Instead of putting work first, put self-care first, and you’ll see a dramatic improvement in the quality and quantity of your work.
Avoid Burnout
Too much stress causes burnout. Many of us fail to appreciate the severity of burnout. Contrary to popular belief, burnout isn't just a day or two of low motivation. Being burnt out can infringe on our ability to achieve small tasks, it can affect our mental and physical health, and it can take a significant amount of time for us to feel like ourselves again. Taking time to relax and not overworking yourself are methods of self-care that can help you avoid burnout.
Inspire Creativity
You might think that overworking yourself results in achieving more and getting more done. Unfortunately, when you're human, working more doesn't correlate to better results. To be productive and creative, we need to take time out. Overworking your brain can cause brain fatigue, leaving us void of creative ideas. If you work in a creative field, or you're passionate about creativity, slowing down and alleviating stress is the best way to inspire creativity.
Self-care comes in all different shapes and sizes, but it's crucial for us all. A bubble bath and a good book might be your self-care one day, and a therapy session might be the form of self-care you engage in the next. One thing is for certain, self-care is crucial for our survival in the modern world.
Comments