Self-Care isn't Selfish

As busy individuals, we often spend our days at work giving everything we’ve got to our colleagues and teams. Then, after-hours, we may invest more time in our work or give selflessly to our families. Over a prolonged period of time, this can leave us tired, resentful and/or cranky. As leaders, it may well be our responsibility to give; however, it is also our responsibility to receive. What I’m referring to is self-care and it doesn’t have to be extravagant. It can be a walk in the park, time to sit quietly and read, dinner alone or with someone you haven’t seen for some time or anything else that you do for pure enjoyment.

Consider the simple analogy of a glass full of water – this represents YOU. Now, take that glass and pass it around to those you interact with, lead, and who depend on you. After several and varying sizes of sips, the glass becomes empty, just as you may feel drained and fatigued after awhile. When you take the glass away and refill it with fresh cold water, similar to taking some time for yourself, you will find that you can share the glass of water with others again.

Having time to yourself isn’t selfish, in fact, it is essential to your mental and physical well-being. We’ve all heard people say that you can’t take care of someone else until you can take care of yourself first. A little self-care goes a long way towards re-energizing and re-focusing you on your goals. You will be more productive and have more to give to those who are counting on you.

So, go ahead and give yourself a little love!