Take care of YOU!

As someone in the “helping” profession, you will almost always help someone else before you do anything for yourself. If you’re like me, you feel guilty taking time for yourself. Especially if you have to say “no” to others to make time for “me” time. But I’m here to tell you, it’s okay to say no! If you are overwhelmed and stressed, you can not be expected to be able to help others. You need to help yourself, recharge, in order to be your best self. Find things that make you happy or completely recharge you!

Similar to the above point, self-care is not selfish. Create time in your weekly, or daily schedule, for self-care activities. If you find you function better from regular exercise, then schedule a time 3-5 days a week to workout. If you feel lethargic from eating fast food or frozen meals, take the time one day a week to meal prep healthy meals for the week so you have a healthy meal or snack on hand at all times. If you get crabby from lack of sleep, make it a priority to get an extra hour or two of sleep on the weekends, or to go to bed 30 minutes earlier each night.

Lastly, here is a list of the top self-care ideas that can benefit school psychologists during this time:

• Take a relaxing bath with a bath bomb, candles, music, a good book, glass of wine optional

• Go for a walk outdoors

• Listen to uplifting or upbeat music

• Listen to soothing music (spa music, ocean waves, rain drops, etc)

• Have a “lazy day” where and stay in your pajamas all day

• Declutter your work space

• Buy a new beauty product

• Read a book that you have been wanting to read for a while

• Play with your pet! Or borrow someone else’s pet!

• Watch funny videos on YouTube

• Call your mom

• Light a candle

• Indulge in your “guilty pleasure”