Self-care is crucial for everyone, but it’s especially important for women who bear the proverbial weight of the world on their shoulders. Marla Ahlgrimm says that women often juggle many responsibilities, such as work, family, and household chores. Women also deal with stress at work, social anxiety, depression, and other mentally taxing experiences.
Self-care can help women manage these challenges to live healthier, happier lives.
According to Marla Ahlgrimm, there are many ways that women can practice self-care, and they have nothing to do with being indulgent. Just a few smart self-care tactics include:
- Saying no. It’s important to learn how to say no to requests that you don’t have the time or bandwidth for. Marla Ahlgrimm says it’s also okay and completely healthy to say no even to friends and family if the requested task interferes with one of your obligations… or you simply need the time for yourself.
- Prioritizing your physical health. Getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly are all important self-care tactics that we often overlook. Marla Ahlgrimm says that women should strive for a healthy balance of food, seven to eight hours of sleep each night, and about 120 minutes of exercise each week split between strength and conditioning and aerobic exercises.
- Connecting with other people. Our social relationships are just as important as the relationship we have with ourselves. Connecting with others is an important part of the human experience and one that can help women be healthier and happier overall. Marla Ahlgrimm acknowledges, however, that establishing new bonds is not easy as an adult. She says that going to church, joining a class, or participating in a community group can help you meet, mingle, and befriend women who share similar interests as yourself.
The Many Benefits Of Self-Care
There are many ways that practicing self-care can help you live your best life. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that just a few of the benefits of taking care of yourself include:
- Improved physical health. Self-care can help improve your physical health by reducing stress, improving your sleeping habits, giving yourself more nutrition, and boosting your immune system.
- Improved mental health. Self-care can help improve your mental health by reducing anxiety and depression and giving a boost to your self-esteem.
- Increase productivity. When you take care of your mental and physical needs, you regain your energy and focus. This can lead to increased productivity both at home and work. Although it might sound counterproductive, Marla Ahlgrimm says we must all step away from our obligations (for self-care) so that we can return with a fresh set of eyes and a renewed sense of vigor.
- Increased happiness. Simple self-care tactics can increase happiness by making you feel better physically and emotionally.
Marla Ahlgrimm says that women who are not currently practicing self-care each day are truly missing out. She encourages everyone to take just five minutes to prioritize their own mental and physical well-being. Although self-care may look different from one person to the next, she says that the benefits are the same: better health and more happiness.
Finally, Marla Ahlgrimm closes by citing that even small changes to your self-care routine can have big results. She says to make yourself a priority and not to be shy about switching things up if one thing doesn’t work. Remember, self-care doesn’t have to be the same each day, and it never hurts to try new things and expand the possibilities of self-care.
Marla Ahlgrimm has co-authored two ground-breaking books,