5 Signs You Need To Take Better Care of Yourself (And How To Do It)
Are you often feeling rundown and stressed? Unable to sleep some nights, often tired during the day? Do things seem to come up all the time that take priority over your health and happiness? If so, these are signs that you need to take better care of yourself.
So many of us spend our time making sure others are well-cared for or that everything is taken care of with our work. But in the midst of doing all this, we often forget to take care of our own physical and mental well-being. Ignoring your own needs can lead to depression, resentment, poor health and just a general lackluster for life.
Most people in this boat probably think that it is impossible to find time for themselves, but that is simply not true. The way to find time for yourself is by making significant (yet simple) changes that will give you more time to enjoy life.
Here are 5 Signs You Need To Take Better Care of Yourself (And How To Do It)
1. Feeling Tired All of the Time
When you feel tired all of the time without having a chronic medical problem, your body is telling you that something is wrong. Constant fatigue can definitely be a symptom of an underlying health issue, so you should most definitely get a thorough evaluation.
Chronic fatigue is also a sign of not living a balanced life that can likewise, lead to a variety of health issues. See: 10 Signs You Have Adrenal Fatigue.
You might work a 60-hour week in a job that you dislike or have too many responsibilities at home. Maybe you don’t sleep well at night. Maybe your family causes you stress. All these factors can lead to chronic fatigue.
If you’re tired all the time, it’s definitely in order to evaluate the underlying case and make the appropriate changes. Do you need to work on your sleep habits? Perhaps you need to eliminate some of the demands on your time that aren’t necessary at this time? Whatever it is, there is an answer and it’s up to you to evaluate and make the necessary changes.
2. Emotional Outbursts
Another sign that you are not taking care of yourself is having frequent or volatile emotional outbursts. We are often in denial that we are behaving less than ideal. So if this is you, take heed. It’s a definite sign and it happens to the best of us. Things can be done to make changes.
If this is you, it’s time to make serious changes. The answer is different for everyone. Take the time to figure out what needs to happen for you and make it a top priority – it’s not an option.
3. Chaos and Clutter
If you have a cluttered home, then it can lead to wasted time and frazzled nerves. A home filled with stuff that isn’t in it’s proper place makes it difficult to find the things needed for each day. When you must dig through mountains of papers to find an important document, then you know it is time to get rid of excess stuff in your home.
For many of us, this isn’t intentional. Rather life is just too busy to keep up. If this is the case, a serious review of your time is in order.
Regardless, to get rid of clutter, use boxes to sort through items that you want to throw away, donate or sell. Place the papers and possessions that you must keep in a plastic tote to organize later. Depending on the size of your home, this process can require a few days or weeks (sometimes longer), but when the job is completed, you will feel calmer.
Just remember to keep up with things after you’ve done your overhaul.
4. Changes in Your Body’s Shape
If you are gaining or losing weight rapidly without making lifestyle changes, then this can be a sign that you are not taking good care of yourself. Oftentimes when we’re stressed and on the go, we don’t eat as well as we should – and we usually don’t even realize it.
If soft drinks and fast food is part of your regular life, you may want to reevaluate. Likewise, if you run on caffeine or need sedatives at night to sleep, this too is a sign.
The solution is to make the time to eat well. Limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Fill up on nutrient-dense foods. Changes to your eating habits alone can produce great benefits to how you feel.
5. Frequent Accidents and Mistakes
When you are not living a balanced life you are more likely to have accidents and make mistakes. If you find yourself frequently making silly mistakes, dropping things or that your balance (literally) is not what it used to be, it’s time to reevaluate. Of course, make sure you are not suffering from any unknown health issues first.
After that, make changes to take the time for better self-care. This may mean simply slowing down, it may mean incorporating exercise, it may mean getting rid of obligations that aren’t necessary or it may mean dedicating more time to sleeping. Everyone is different. Find out what you need to do to better care for yourself.
