Updated 18th November 2021, as a result of the repeated work-from-home recommendations by the Irish Government. Regardless, substantial and regular self-care is a fundamental part of a healthy and sustainable approach to home working. Read on to understand what enhanced self-care REALLY involves!

Recently, I spent time reflecting on the impact on the pandemic on my life. Not just my work life but the whole picture, the full 360 degree view! One of the main learnings for me was how important self-care is day-to-day and even sometimes minute-to-minute! And of course that the devil (as always) is in the DETAIL of those self-care activities. Self-care is one of the key ways to show ourselves self consideration and love. But also, practically, it is the main way to gain some time and headspace back for yourself. >> Download the free self-care personalised template here >>

Below is a snapshot of some practical examples for my own self-care profile list:

• Self-care blocks: pilates classes (online if needed), regular jogging in local parks, planning healthy meals/trying new recipes and a craft crochet project. All of which are significant self-care activities, i.e. normally take approx. 40 minute block of time

• Short but significant: reading a chapter of a book or a magazine article (not on a screen), listening to a piece of classical music fully (currently working through Vivaldi pieces), writing one page in my journal, running a short errand locally (approx. 10 minutes). These are short self-care activities during remote working, BUT all away from my workspace and ideally without any devices!

I believe in this one so much, I launched a an audio book on “Better Breaks for Remote Workers” find it here >>

• New, explore these suggestions: other DIY activities, new craft projects and making a list of autobiographical books I want to read in 2021

How about you?! What does your self-care profile look like? Is it detailed? Does it include those shorter and snappier activities that can support you and you can depend on when they day is extra hectic? Time invested in planning and designing these activities, adding details making them more specific, will bolster their overall impact (read more about SMART criteria here)

Spending the time to consider, plan and picture these, from contemplating what should be on your list to then blocking time for those activities in your calendar and right through to implementing them practically, is a wonderful exercise.

Doing this (and reviewing it regularly ) offered the following support in:

• maintaining work-life-balance

• prioritising wellbeing in my remote working routine

• supporting myself - in the moment, with short activities that could be accessed easily in the middle of a hectic day

• understanding myself better, through the appreciation that self-care can sometimes come from unexpected places (like a DIY indoor painting project!)

Through myself and my teams mentoring work with clients (almost 1000 Remote Work Expert Consultations via the Laya Healthcare, Digital Clinics services) I noted that many home working individuals struggle when probed about their self-care. Searching their brains to list out what activities they use for self-care, lacking in detail on the descriptions and the range. Many people get "stuck" on this. They believe self-care takes lots of time, forgetting that 5 mins of listening to a piece of music, away from their workspace, for example - can offer solace and the opportunity to reset.

To access these shorter activities however, we need to plan them, detailing them and writing them down, ensuring they are scheduled (see my calendar sample here for illustration) Moving to action-mode i.e. actually doing that short activity needed and in the moment.

So really "pay yourself first" in 2021, grab a pen and paper now and write your list of main, shorter and new self-care activities to expand your own interpretation, understanding and scope of your self-care profile.

I guarantee you will thank yourself for it into these coming weeks! >> Download the free self-care personalised template here >>

Read more about enhancing your approach to home working in 2021 here.

>> Book a direct 1-2-1 consultation with Rowena here to boost your approach to Healthy Home Working.