This 2022, start the year off being intentional about the way you can look after your mental and emotional health. Here’s a few ways to add some self-care into your daily routine…

1. Find 5 minutes a day to be still

Close the door (if you can), or wait in your parked car and just sit still with your eyes closed. Breathe, mantra, meditate, whatever you’d like but be still and quite your mind. This will allow you to de-stress and take a much-needed moment to find some calm.

2. Get up and Move

 So frantic moving to get to and from work and other errands aside, find something you enjoy doing and move your body. Get on a yoga mat, dance to your favorite music in the lounge, walk during your lunch break and get the endorphins flowing.

3. Gratitude

It’s hard to stay sad, angry or anxious for long if you start the day with jotting down a few things you have to be grateful for. Write them on little cards and stick them to your wall as a daily reminder, or end the day off with one or two things you’re grateful for- even if it’s as simple as the day finally ended and you survived it.

4. Lay off the social media and emails.

Set aside times when you will not constantly be checking your social media channels and emails. Having all these things on your phone ensures that you are constantly glued to this screen. Within an hour of waking, be intentional about not checking your social media channels and emails, and again after work. Remind yourself to be present at dinner time with your loved ones and family by putting away your phone and enjoy the moments!

5. Learn to Say No

Depending on the time of the year, we all feel the need to keep giving of ourselves in terms of our money, time and energy-attending Christmas parties, work events, children’s play dates and more. But here’s a thought: how about just saying No. If you’re already swamped, feel exhausted and will be stretched even further by another calendar date, best decline and spend the time relaxing or completing the tasks you already have. Also, don’t feel bad about it.