Golf Lessons Minnesota
Practice Extreme Self-Care
“There’s no better way to energize your body, mind, and spirit than by taking care of yourself.” Stephanie Tourles
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to participate in MomCamp, a three-day retreat designed for moms to come together for the sole purpose of taking time for themselves. And it was great!
The founders, Mary Kay Duchene and Teresa Fundenburg, had a vision to create a place where moms could come to take care of themselves for one, two or three days. Their vision became a reality when women from all over the Twin Cities of Minnesota came together in September for some time out from focusing solely on their families.
I learned and relearned many valuable lessons during my three days at MomCamp. And these lessons do not just apply to moms. They apply to all of us – men, women and even kids. At MomCamp I learned to take charge of my own self-care and to connect with others. And I learned that it’s okay – in fact it’s necessary – to celebrate myself on a regular basis. I was reminded to be committed to extreme self-care. So now I am practicing extreme self-care.
Why Practice Extreme Self-Care
Stress is killing us. We are burned out, stressed out and often exhausted. Without practicing and making self-care a priority, we are at risk for health problems, relationship difficulties and decreased productivity in all areas of our lives. Stress leaves us frazzled. We don’t think clearly when we’re under stress. We don’t enjoy life. And stress can literally make us sick.
Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety found:
- Stress is linked to physical and mental health, as well as decreased willingness to take on new and creative endeavors.
- More than ever before, employee stress is being recognized as a major drain on corporate productivity and competitiveness.
- Depression, only one type of stress reaction, is predicted to be the leading occupational disease of the 21st century, responsible for more days lost than any other single factor.
- Annually $300 billion, or $7,500 per employee, is spent in the U.S. on stress-related compensation claims, reduced productivity, absenteeism, health insurance costs, direct medical expenses (nearly 50 percent higher for workers who report stress) and employee turnover.
What’s so different about today’s workplace? Studies from organizations such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the American Psychological Association show the following changes in working conditions have overburdened our traditional coping mechanisms:
- Growing psychological demands as we increase productivity demands and work longer hours
- The need to gather and apply growing amounts of information
- Job insecurity
- Demographic changes, such as aging workers, female participation in the workforce and the integration of a growing population of ethnic and racial minorities into the workplace.
- The need for both men and women to balance obligations between work and family as women enter the workforce worldwide
It’s a worldwide phenomenon. Statistics from a recent global stress research study show that increased stress is felt worldwide, and stress affects women differently than men. A recent Roper Starch Worldwide survey of 30,000 people between the ages of 13 and 65 in 30 countries showed:
- Women who work full-time and have children under the age of 13 report the greatest stress worldwide.
- Nearly one in four mothers who work full time and have children under 13 feel stress almost every day.
- Globally, 23 percent of women executives and professionals and 19 percent of their male peers say they feel “super stressed.”
Numerous common health problems are linked to stress:
- The leading six causes of death in the U.S.: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide
- Immune response and deficiency
- Memory loss
- Obesity
How to Practice Extreme Self-Care
How do we practice extreme self-care, especially in the busy world we live in? It’s not easy. In fact it’s not even popular. Yet it can be done – if we want to make it happen.
When I looked up extreme in the dictionary, I found it to mean “exceeding the ordinary, usual or expected.” Self-care means “care for oneself.” Thus, extreme self-care means we exceed the ordinary, the usual or the expected when we care for ourselves.
Some ways to practice extreme self-care are:
E – Expect the best. By expecting the best in all situations, we decrease the stress we feel. Assume others view you in a positive light, expect success when taking risks and expect that you’ll successfully deal with things as they come.
X – eXtra white space in my calendar. Take a bottle of white-out to your calendar and create white space. White space is absolutely necessary. Treat the white space just as you would any other appointment. It’s the most important appointment of all – time for yourself.
T – Touch. Touch is very effective in relieving stress. We practice a 12-hugs a-day rule in our family. Each family member needs to get a minimum of 12 hugs a day. Some other ways to practice this include getting a massage, holding hands with your mate or snuggling with your pet.
R – Reach out to others. Close friends and family members are a great source of support. Make a pact with those closest to you that you will focus on practicing extreme self-care and then ask them to hold you accountable.
E – Exercise. This is the best way to relieve stress. Stop making excuses and get out there and make the time to exercise.
M – Make someone else’s day. When we take the focus off of ourselves, we’re able to let go of stress. Go ahead – make someone’s day today.
E – Enlist help. We cannot do it all. I use the Internet to have many things delivered to my home. I hire others to do things I don’t have time for and I recruit all family members to help with household tasks.
What to Expect When You Practice Extreme Self-Care
When I practice extreme self-care, I am more relaxed. I feel healthier, more creative and have increased energy. I also feel more positive about myself and others. I’m able to live life more fully and give others my best.
7 Keys to Practice Extreme Self-Care
- Say No! Before saying yes to anything, take 24 hours to think about it. Ask yourself how saying yes will affect your life. Is what you will gain worth what you will give up?
- Take daily down time. Set aside a minimum of 15 minutes a day just for you. Use this time to spoil yourself. Read, listen to music or just sit still.
- Schedule monthly self-care time. Set aside a whole day or just an afternoon to relax, read, go to the spa, golf or just take a nap.
- Simplify. Eliminate, reduce or give up the things that produce too much stress or take too much of your time.
- Practice positive self-talk. Negative self-talk drains our energy and our effectiveness. Give it up. Try only saying positive things about yourself this month.
- Limit time with negative people. Negative people steal our happiness and bring us down with them. Surround yourself with people who treat you better than you treat yourself.
- Wear a visible sign. Wear a bracelet, hang a sign on your computer or create another visible reminder. Let this item serve as a way to remind you to practice self-care each and every day.
About the Author
Michelle Neujahr, Motivational Speaker & Small Business Consultant
Michelle Neujahr provides motivational keynotes, in-house training seminars and small business consulting services to organizations ready to take their business to the next level. She delivers high energy, dynamic presentations guaranteed to reinvigorate your organization and revive your people. With more than a decade of experience as a motivational speaker, Michelle has given over 1,000 presentations to audiences across the country. In addition Michelle has owned three businesses, worked in the corporate world as Director of Sales & Marketing, is an author and serves as an adjunct business professor.
Companies hire Michelle, time and again, to entertain, educate and motivate while creating a positive, energetic tone at any conference or event. Some of Michelle’s clients include: 3M, Wells Fargo, Medtronic, St. Paul Children’s Hospital, and Carlson Companies.
JR’s 2nd Lesson at Golf Galaxy