If you have people who depend on you, such as children or elderly relatives, then you’re going to want to make sure that they are well looked after, no matter what. Nothing gives us a sense of peace and well being more than knowing the people we love and care about are ok. We have two boys so for us, this is important and is something that we’ve thought about a lot.
Looking After Yourself Matters
You can’t expect your loved ones to feel well looked after if you’re not looking after yourself. Have you ever heard the phrase ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’? Well, it’s true! If you’re exhausted, stressed out, and unhealthy in general, you’re going to be in no fit state to take care of the people you love. At the very least, you won’t be great company. I certainly am not when I’m tired.
Looking after yourself directly affects the people that you love. Did you know that if you feel stressed out, your kids can pick up on it and get stressed out too? Studies have shown that parents who are stressed tend to raise stressed kids. In studies, many children reportedly said that the one thing they wished to change about their home life was less stressed parents. If that isn’t enough reason to start taking care of your physical and mental health, nothing will be.
Below are some ideas of what you can do to get started:
- Start eating whole, healthy foods. Cook from scratch and meal prep so you don’t eat junk.
- Get moving as often as you can, even if you just walk. Aim for 10,000 steps a day. Sitting is the new smoking apparently (I don’t smoke but I do sit…. a lot).
- Try to be present in everything you do, especially when spending time with your loved ones. Avoid spending too much time on a screen.
- Identify the things that stress you out and work to eliminate or reduce them.
- Get plenty of sleep and be consistent with your bedtime/wake up routine.
- Take some time to do things you enjoy, such as a hobby. You’re setting an example to the people who look up to you.
Remember, if there’s something you don’t like, you have the power to change it. This is great advice because honestly, self-care is essential if you want to be in the best position to help others.
Thinking About The Future is Crucial
Thinking about the future is something people tend to do in terms of, ‘what shall I cook for dinner tonight?’ or even ‘is there anything else we need to sort out for holiday next week?’. However, thinking about unpleasant things that could happen is also important. What will your family do if you’re no longer able to look after them? Sorting out a will and a power of attorney should be on your priorities list, as well as naming beneficiaries and keeping those things updated. If you have an elderly loved one who may soon need help, you might want to look at services they may come to need such as super carers so you’re prepared and don’t panic when the time comes.
Putting money into an emergency fund, as well as finding things to invest in so you can build wealth and have a comfortable retirement is also important. Living in the moment can be helpful, but you do need to plan for the things that really matter.
We are maybe half-way through the list of “looking after yourself” items above which means that we’ll be in a good position to look after others if and when the time comes. Are you ready, organised and so on? If not, it might be time to seriously think about what you want and need for your future and the future of your dependents.