I’m human too, and in addition to being a clinical psychologist, I am also a mom to a three-year-old, so I feel like my self-care is one of the most important things I can do for myself. If I am not taking care of myself, I can’t be my best self for my family, nor my clients. Because of that, I try to remember to focus on what is in my control, which is focusing on both my health behaviors and my self-talk. As I often say, our thoughts, emotions and behaviors are all linked, so if I am having any negative self-talk it can completely change the course of my day, which can then impact how I show up for my family, myself and also my clients. Because of this, I plan my day accordingly in a way that I know works for me.
Rising in the morning. I start my day with trying to wake up before my son or husband to get some quiet me-time in before the day really begins. This is often some sort of movement, if it’s a walk or a run outside, or doing spin or just a few minutes of stretching. I plan what I will do the night before, but I also pause and listen to my body when I wake up. Sometimes what I had planned isn’t what my brain or body need at the time, so I am kind to myself and will check in and then tweak the plan accordingly. Other days, I may get up early to get started on some work. I will always start my day with some water—I have my water bottle by my bed so I see it and drink some immediately upon waking up, and then brew a cup of coffee, which I add my Rae Drops to, including the Immunity Drops, Hydration Drops and Skin Renew Drops.
Throughout the day. I make sure that I nourish my body and brain with food and nutrients. I also take breaks throughout the day to check-in with myself and ask myself what I need. On days where I may have back-to-back clients or meetings, I always plan my meetings or client sessions with at least 10mins in between so I can get up, move around, do some breathing and have a mini check-in with myself. This makes sure that I can “close” one thing before I move on to the other, as well as “reset” by taking that breath.
Evening/Dinner. I always plan some fun time with my son, which is typically after my work day and before dinner. This may be us singing songs or having dance parties or snuggle time. This is a form of stress management for me too as I try to be present and just enjoy him and the moment, as opposed to doing other things at the same time.
Post-dinner/Bedtime. After dinner I take my other supplements, which includes my Multivitamin and then we start our “after dinner routine” which can look very different on different days. Knowing that all of our health behaviors impact our daily functioning, no matter what our after dinner plans may be, I make sure I get a sufficient amount of sleep.
