Get Organized and Live Life On Purpose.
This month I’m sharing the best tips and strategies that have helped me to get organized and to stay that way. Last week we talked about menu planning, which is one of the primary ways I save money and keep my sanity! 
[Be sure to check out The Peaceful Mom Customizable Menu Planners here.]
This week I want to talk about another key: self care.
You may not think that taking care of yourself has anything to do with getting life organized, but it is actually essential. If you’re not taking care of your basic needs, life becomes scattered and overwhelming.
So what are your basic needs?
PHYSICAL
Sleep- Are you getting enough or are you constantly fatigued? Is it always difficult to get up in the morning or do you drag yourself out of bed in a haze?
Water- Are you drinking enough water during the day (not coffee, tea or soft drinks)? Do you mistake thirst for hunger and end up eating more?
Food-Are you eating energy producing foods or energy sapping foods? Do you have a sugary snack every day around 3:00 p.m. just so you can make it through dinner time?
Exercise-Are you taking time to have a daily walk or work out to an exercise dvd? Moving your body is great stress relief and a necessity if you want to be healthy.
SPIRITUAL
Spiritual Refreshment-Do you listen to uplifting music or an inspirational podcast on a regular basis? Have you read the Bible or been encouraged by a friend recently?
Prayer- Do you pray throughout the day by yourself or with others?
RELATIONAL
Social Interaction- When is the last time you had a good conversation with a friend (or your husband)? Have you had any coffee dates with friends in the last three months?
EMOTIONAL
Fun-What are you doing just for the enjoyment of it? If you had a day to yourself, what would you do?
Emotional Balance-Are you aware of your emotions? Do you find yourself crying a lot, but don’t know why?
MENTAL
Intellectual Stimulation- Have you read any good books lately, played a game that requires thinking or completed a crossword puzzle?
Creative pursuits-Do you write, paint, doodle, play an instrument, craft or participate in other creative outlets?
I’m sure that you could have easily produced this list of things that you “should” be doing, but if you are like me, you neglect them. The baby is crying, the phone is ringing, the emails are piling up and there is nothing for dinner, so who thinks about drinking water?
So this week I am recommitting to taking care of myself and I encourage you to join me! Choose one area that you have been neglecting and take action this week to nurture yourself.
What are some self-care areas that you tend to neglect? Share in the comments (so I don’t feel so badly about the ones I neglect!).
Remember, YOU ARE IMPORTANT!
You May Also Enjoy:
Put Yourself First
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
At the risk of sounding gross, I, too often, forget to brush my teeth. I’m pretty good at brushing and flossing before bed, but unless we have somewhere to go, I rarely brush for the day until after lunch. I’m also bad about washing my face 1-2 times a day. We have a 5 year old, 3 year old, 21 month old, and a 5 month old. I can always find something higher on the priority list around here, and I honestly feel guilty if I go brush my teeth or wash my face before tending to the littles. This has led to horrible skin and several root canals over the years. You’d think that I would learn!
It is so hard to take care of yourself when you have so many little ones (I know because I had four children in five years), but you can take care of them better by taking care of YOU first.
I’m so glad you mentioned mistaking thirst for hunger. I had a huge problem with this when I was younger, and it wasn’t until I did an official weight loss program that I realized just how much water I should be drinking. Then after being pregnant and nursing my first child, the importance of water was reinforced for me (it’s easier to see the effects of not getting enough water when your feet swell or your milk supply goes down).
It’s still a struggle every day to get enough water, but one of my top priorities!
The other thing I learned recently was the intellectual stimulation you mentioned. I figured that because I worked full-time I got plenty of intellectual stimulation, but an office job really isn’t enough, even though I’m an engineer! A few months ago I started doing a Sudoku on my smartphone every day (there’s a daily one I can down load for free! and then there’s a deadline because if I don’t finish it today I might miss tomorrow’s puzzle). It’s actually great measure of my intellectual/mental status: when I’m sick or overstressed I’m more likely to have difficulty solving the puzzle, so if I’m stumped 2-3 days in a row then I know I need to take better care of myself!
That is a great idea for keeping track of how you are doing Sarah. Thanks for the tip!
Loved this post! For me, I tend to fall flat on sleep – I’m in bed for at least 8 hours, but not getting quality sleep. It’s been a constant work in progress to getting some decent sleep.. I also made a goal for this year to drink more water, since I know I don’t get enough each day!
Thanks Rachael! Hope you can get some good sleep.
What a great list! I’m horrible about taking care of myself to begin with, and now that I’m pregnant I feel too tired most of the time. I know I need to get these things lined out BEFORE the baby gets here (in August) or I’ll really find it impossible! Thanks for your blog…it is always timely for my life!
I’m so glad Jennifer. Thanks for being such an encourager!
I agree that taking care of ourselves first does indeed help our families. It’s like when the airlines tell the adults to secure their oxygen masks on first before helping their children. We are more able to help them when we are taken care of first.
That’s so funny Holly. I wrote about that very thing in this post: http://thepeacefulmom.com/2010/06/25/put-yourself-firs/
I struggle with homeschool and all the other things in life. I come last and need to change. Thanks for the tips and reminders. I need to start now!
You are welcome Julie. You could start by choosing one thing each day that is nurturing like enjoying a cup of hot tea or a bubble bath after the kids are in bed. Scheduling some weekly time away is a big help too. Hopefully your husband can help with the kids, but if not, trade with a friend. You can do it!
I think I have a tendency to not exercise regularly. I guess I think about it, but then life gets in the way. And it seems every time I get a routine down, an illness or something comes up to throw me off. But I plan to get back into the routine. It’s not a failure to fall down, only if I don’t get back up and try again.
“It’s not a failure to fall down, only if I don’t get back up and try again.” SO TRUE! Thanks Megan!
I noticed you shared about crying without knowing why. For years as I homeschooled 3 kids and worked part-time, I felt overwhelmed alot. After one really rough winter in Germany with no sunlight for months I was told I had SAD. I was depressed and super moody. My family bought me a lightbox that I use during the darkest days of winter and I take a happy pill which seems to have made me over anew. It never hurts to talk to your doctor about your emotions and receive the help you might need.