You know how you watch videos of your favorite influencers (including me) going on a self-care treat like the spa, a massage treat, facials, etc, and you think to yourself “God when? I wish I had the time to do this too “, take a seat. This article is for you.

Little side note: fiust so you know, you will never have the time if you don’t make one for yourself.

You are currently doing a great job juggling work, family, and social commitments. However, you cannot pour from an empty cup. You cannot keep taking care of everything and everyone but yourself.

Years back, before my brand grew and I became “booked and busy”, I used to designate 2 Mondays or Wednesdays in a month for self-care. However, a tighter schedule came with little to no time for self-care. I was constantly showing up for brands or clients, fulfilling social responsibilities, or attending meetings without breaks. I was making money yet I was feeling tired and almost always burnt out. Immediately I knew I had to pause and take care of myself. I carved out a specific day(s) in a month for “me time”. On these days, I focus on rejuvenating myself and clearing my head.

If we are being honest, self-care isn’t exactly easy. It takes a high level of commitment and willingness to value yourself and your overall well-being. Women are generally conditioned to be caretakers and worry about everybody and everything but themselves. However, you must break yourself away from such a cycle. At the end of the day, people will only treat you as important as you treat yourself.

WHAT IS SELF CARE?

Usually, when people think of self-care, they think of luxury rather than a necessity. They think of a whole expensive girl maintenance day. I am talking about hair installation, nails, lash extensions, a visit to the spa, getting your facials done, and a massage treat. Now this isn’t wrong. They are all forms of self-care. However, we forget the smaller things self-care is. Self-care is taking time for yourself alone and prioritizing your needs. Self-care care is lying on your bed, watching your favorite comfort shows while nibbling on your preferred junk. Self-care is spending hours in the bathroom screaming the lyrics of SZA’s “Nobody Gets Me”. Self-care is staring at your vanity and meticulously following all the steps in your skincare routine as opposed to skipping a step. Self-care is updating in your journal all of the

brilliant ideas you have had and executed. Self-care is getting together with a bunch of friends and discussing anything but work or money problems. Self-care is learning to say “NO’ to things that do not favor or benefit you. Self-care is taking your beauty sleep seriously. Self-care is putting yourself and whatever makes you happy first.

WHY DOES SELF-CARE MATTER?

Nothing about self-care is selfish. If anything, self-care is essential. When you prioritize your happiness and your well-being, you are more clear-headed and can handle life challenges without feeling overwhelmed. Self-care also improves your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Self-care also strengthens personal relationships. When you take care of yourself, you take care of people better. You bring your best self to your relationships, you are emotionally balanced, and spread positivity to the people around you. Taking a break to practice self-care also helps you to be more productive. As counterproductive as that may sound, sometimes a nap, a long walk, or lunch with friends can help you recharge, focus better, and align your thoughts.

Self-care helps with personal growth. Making time for self-care creates space for reflection, allows you to step back and evaluate what’s working in your life, and make adjustments where needed. Self-care allows you to discover new passions, hobbies, or goals which in turn evolves you into the best version of yourself. You become a better partner, daughter, coworker, mother, and even best friend!

You may ask yourself, “How do I make self-care a priority, especially when it feels like I don’t have a spare minute in my day?” The good news is that self-care doesn’t require drastic life changes or hours of free time. It’s about making small, intentional shifts that can easily be woven into your day, no matter how busy you are.

PRACTICAL SELF-CARE TIPS

1. Mindful Mornings; The way you start your day plays a great role in determining how your day goes. Wake up early, take a few minutes to practice deep breathing, stretch a bit, and take time to journal. You can also make a to-do list for the day. This way you plan and your day is less chaotic.
2. Nourish your Body: Food is a key component of self-care. Considering you are always busy, there is a high tendency to eat more snacks/junk food. However, these foods do not provide your body with the right nourishment or nutrients you need. When you eat right, your body can work better.
3. Nourish your Mind: Feed your mind and soul with healthy things and not things that may overwhelm you or increase your anxiety. You can do this by journaling, reading books–fiction or nonfiction, and even digital detox. Sometimes, all you need to do is unplug from social media, rest, and focus on the present and the things that truly matter.
4. Prioritize Sleep: Now before you roll your eyes and say “Nji, I am a 9-/ babe. Add Lagos traffic and you have a recifie for a terrible sleefiing schedule”, I know! Getting a beauty sleep may be a herculean task, especially for a working woman. But remember, we are making efforts. So instead of scrolling on TikTok after a long day at work, sleep. During the weekends, take long hours of sleep. Your body will thank you for that.
5. Do Something for YOU: And no girlies, you are not allowed to feel guilty about doing this. Whether it is retail therapy, going on a solo date, or hanging out with your friends, make time to do something that makes you happy and satisfies your emotional needs.

5. Find a Hobby: A small self-care practice that impacted me deeply was discovering a couple of new hobbies, particularly cooking. I took an interest in something new, and when I needed to destress, I went to it—no pressure, just at my pace. Finding a new hobby can be a great way to practice self-care.

• Learn to say NO: Set impregnable boundaries. This can be hard especially if you are a people pleaser. However, humans do not know when to stop.

People are prone to keep taking from you as long as you are willing to give. You don’t have to be at every event, respond to every text, or be always present. Yes, people may be angry but they will adjust.

• Maintain Social Relationships: Work-life can get hectic and it is easy to forget to reach out to people. However, having a tribe is everything—schedule hangouts—in-person, video calls, or phone calls. Sometimes, after a long day, what you need is to link up with your support system, gossip, and share jokes.

In conclusion, you don’t need to do all of these things at once. Incorporating one or two of these practices into your daily routine will go a long way. Remember that nothing about self-care is selfish.

You have earned it, so do it!

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ffiank you for reading. Xoxo.