Self-care is productive.

Repeat after me: SELF-CARE IS PRODUCTIVE. 😉

Again: Self-care IS productive.

This little phrase has been one of my mantras for the last few years.

🚶‍♀️ When I go for a walk, I am being productive.

🙄 Staring at a wall for 5 minutes is also worthwhile.

🤓 Even picking your nose, if that’s something you’re into!

And in case you’re wondering: NO, self-care DOESN’T need to be productive. It doesn’t need to be anything, really because taking care of oneself is in and of itself important enough.

And at the same time, I have felt guilty and ashamed whenever I took time off from work SO MANY TIMES in my life. 😓

Rationally, I knew I needed to rest. But, in my heart, it still felt uncomfortable.

But… that really changed during my burnout. At that time, resting and recovering were the ONLY thing I could do. I would be on my couch, with very little energy and still feeling guilty and ashamed. A part of my brain really wanted to go on, to keep up, to stay on top of things. Whereas my body was utterly in shock, traumatised and in the freezing mode.

Two key questions around being productive.

Eventually, two things dawned on me. 🤔

💡 First, what kind of energy did I want to feed my productivity? Did I want to be productive out of my fears? The inner pressure of wanting to achieve deadlines or goals? Or did I want my productive be born out of self-kindness and self-understanding? What if I could be productive and ENJOY the process?

💡 Second, how could I really be productive unless I also took time to charge my batteries?

If I force myself to work 8 straight hours after a bad night’s sleep, how productive am I really going to be?

If I keep ignoring my body’s signals craving for some movement, how would I have a fruitful day?

If I push my mental health boundaries, disregarding the pressure in my chest caused by my anxiety, will I really be able to be present for my work?

Because if you’re exhausted finishing your tasks is a nightmare.

If you are not in tune with what you need and you run out of fuel, you can’t perform like you would like to.

That’s why I enjoy using this mantra SO much. I repeated it so often that it eventually felt genuine… Allowing me to let go of any shame and guilt I have felt when taking good care of myself.

🌻 What about you?🌻

What helps you look after yourself guilt- and shame-free?

P.S. Yes, I had lots of fun making this video! 🤣

Let me know down below the comments! 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

Blog post image by: nappy from Pexels.