But wont self-care make me get LESS done?

One word: NO!

Self-care doesn't make you selfish and it also doesn't make your productivity worse. In fact, it will help you accomplish more than you ever have. Sounds counterproductive right? But, contrary to popular belief, it is not. 

Self-care and shifting your energy will look different for everyone. We all have individual needs based on our values. When we live a life that includes self-care and focusing our energy on the things that are truly important to us, vs. what someone or society says we should be doing, we are happier, more confident, and more productive. 

I'm going to ask you to take a step back and spend a few moments asking yourself the following questions:  

1) When was the last time you hung out with your friends? 

2) When was the last time you spent time having fun with your loved ones/family?

3) When was the last time you got a good night’s rest? Went to bed at a reasonable hour? Got up at a reasonable hour?

4) When was the last time you sat down at a table and had a balanced meal and ate mindfully? 

5) When was the last time you did some form of physical activity? 

6) How often do you neglect your basic needs? 

If you found it difficult to answer these questions, it's probably time for you to review my blog about planners and make sure you take time to plan for self-care. Or stop "ignoring" that reminder from your Apple Watch to "Breathe." 

It doesn't have to be this big time-consuming thing, it can be as simple as getting up every hour to walk around for a few minutes, go to the bathroom, or grab a snack. It can be a 5 or 10 minute guided meditation when you get up in the morning or before you go to bed. It could be choosing to go for a walk on your 15-minute break with your co-workers. It could be getting out of your office and eating lunch away from your work. Find ways to step back and re-charge your batteries, you will get more done rather than avoiding something because you're burnt out. 

Now ask yourself these following questions:

1) Do you also find yourself not having enough time in the day because you're so busy doing what everyone else wants you to do?

2) Do you do things out of guilt or obligation even though they are not important to you? 

3) How much time do you devote each day to something that brings you happiness? 

4) Do you skip out on vacation or go to work when you're sick because you're afraid it will look like you are not a dedicated employee?

When we live our lives based on what is important to us we have more satisfaction, passion and are overall, happier in our lives. When you're happy and satisfied you tend to be more motivated to do what you need to do. Happy people are productive people. Not the other way around.

To find out if your energy needs to be shifted, print out this awesome worksheet I love from WhitePinePsych.com and take note of areas where you may be imbalanced. 

If you'd like to learn more about ways to improve self-care feel free to message me at Colleen@scatteredpotential.com, subscribe to my blog or my newsletter by filling out the form below. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.