A few weeks ago it was National Simplicity Day, and we talked about the importance of going back to basics and enjoying the simple things in life. As chance would have it, we can continue this theme nicely, as on Sunday July 24th it’s International Self Care day. This is a day dedicated to taking time for yourself- putting the focus on your health, emotional wellbeing, your family, community and things that bring you joy.
It’s wonderful that there’s a day dedicated to self care. However, we at the Quilter’s Planner believe that self-care isn’t something that should just happen occasionally, or once a year. It’s something that we need to be thinking about every day in order for us to live healthily in body and mind. As a starting point, we really love the Self-Care Promise website, where you can submit a promise to yourself as a way of making that commitment. Do check it out. Write your promise in your planner too- somewhere that you can easily see!
In case you’re stuck for ideas for self care, we’ve come up with a few things that you might like to consider and ideas for how you can use your Quilter’s Planner to remind you to stay on track.
Track Your Sleep
Adults should sleep more than 7 hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. So we need to make sure we’re getting enough of it! Why not use the monthly pages in your planner to write down how much sleep you’re getting each night? Then you can use this information to decide whether you need to start getting to bed earlier! If sleep doesn’t come easily to you, try introducing a ‘wind down’ time before bed such as a bath, reading a book, or a milky drink. Try to avoid phone screens at least an hour before bedtime.
Drink more water
It’s so important to drink plenty of water each day (around 2 litres) but it’s so easy to forget and not drink enough! And if there’s high heat or you are exercising, you’ll need even more, so factor that in too. Why not have a glass or re-usable bottle by your desk or sewing machine, and carry it around with you throughout the day so that sipping water becomes second nature? Finally, put a reminder in your planner. Your body will thank you for it.
Reward healthy activities with a sticker
We may be adults, but who doesn’t love a sticker! Why not use stickers to reward yourself for all your healthy habits and activities? Whether it be going out for a walk, doing some stretches, going to the gym, or perhaps a hike or bike ride, whatever you’ve done that’s improving your health deserves to be celebrated!
Motivational Quotes
Words can be so powerful, and there’s nothing like an inspiring quote to get you going in the morning. It’s all about a positive mindset and believing in yourself. There’s so many quotes that we love. Just scroll through our Instagram feed to see some of our favorites! Choose the ones that resonate the most with you, and write them in the pages of your planner to get you motivated.
Do what you love and celebrate
Make sure you make time to sew and quilt, as after all, that’s what makes our hearts sing. Even if it’s just for ten minutes a day. Do more of what you love, as the saying goes! Use the Projects-at-a-Glance pages in the planner to track progress on our various quilting projects and check off each stage. It’s important to acknowledge small accomplishments, then celebrate the big ones!
We hope that’s given you some ideas for how to use the planner for self-care. It’s so important to look after ourselves on the inside and out, and to live a happy, healthy, fulfilled life.
