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These are the days when a good self care routine is essential. While it might sometimes seem like self care is just about bubble baths and getting good sleep, there’s really much more to it. Your body experiences stress triggers all day long whether you worry about a loved one or feeling bogged down from your work day, but the BACE self care routine can help in a big way.
Self care is different for everyone. Some may enjoy daily meditation or mindfulness practices while others look to physical activity or a luxuriating skincare routine to lift their spirits. But whatever your specific mode of self care, it is important.
Looking for a new self care routine with better habits? The BACE daily routine can keep you on track towards supporting physical and mental health and wellness.
B is for BODY: The BACE Self Care Routine And Your Healthy Body With Diet, Exercise, And Sleep
When it comes to your self care routine, the acronym BACE will help to keep you on the right track. 4 letter words are easy to remember. Each letter stands for a category of self care whether it relates to your mental health and well-being, your physical health, or your emotional care.
BACE stands for the following in this context:
Body care
Achievement
Connection
Enjoyment
As you can see above, the B in BACE stands for body care. What does that mean exactly?
Well, it is not always that easy (or convenient) to remember to take care of your body with the right amount of sleep, a healthy diet, and exercise. But when you prioritize the well-being of your body, you’re also taking better care of your mind. 1
So, how can you make self care for your body more important in your daily life? For starters, put down your mobile device and turn off your screens before bedtime.
The blue light from your screens can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms which, in turn, can make it much more difficult for you to actually get the right amount of sleep. Giving yourself a screen detox before bed every night is a good idea. It can help ensure that you wake up feeling truly rested. 2
Getting enough physical activity is important to the health of your body as well. By no means do you have to run a marathon or sign up for a fitness boot camp. Stretching and taking a half-hour walk every day is more than enough to spark your fitness fire. So try and devote a half-hour every day to some sort of exercise. Here’s a hint: If you choose something you enjoy, you’ll likely stick with it for the long haul.
Finally, calorie counting or depriving yourself of your favorite foods doesn’t necessarily mean you’re taking care of your health. If you choose to eat non-processed, whole foods, and foods that come directly from the Earth, you might not even need to count calories. Nature is the best source of nutrition, so stay away from foods that come in a box or a bag. Stick to the produce and lean protein sections of your grocery store.
The A is For Achievement: Celebrate The Big And Little Successes In Your Daily Life
You know that great feeling you get when you did exactly what you set out to do? That’s called achievement. But setting goals to achieve doesn’t have to mean big goals. You don’t have to climb a mountain to be proud. You can get a sense of accomplishment from setting and achieving micro-goals. The feeling is great and can inspire you to achieve more. Getting addicted to a sense of achievement is a ‘healthy’ addiction.
Your goals don’t have to look like anyone else’s. They can be health-related, work-related, artistic, personal, familial. It doesn’t matter. Perhaps you have a hard time bringing up a certain subject with your spouse, but you know you need to talk about it. Make a small goal to bring up your concern at dinner. If you do, regardless of how the conversation goes, you can tick it off your achievement list.
Maybe you’d like to get back to jogging. Start small. Tell yourself you’ll jog tomorrow for 10 minutes. That’s a small, achievable goal. And once you’ve done it, you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished what you wanted to for the day. Achieving a goal can help raise your self-esteem.
You can always improve in life. So, set an achievable goal and grow it slowly. To stick with the example of jogging. Once you’ve hit that 10-minute goal 3 times, up it to 12 minutes. When you hit 12, make it 15. That marathon may not end up being as far away from a pipe dream as you think it is.
Keep the C in Your Daily Routine: Connection With Loved Ones Is Important for Self Care
Connection with your loved ones is a biggie. You may take for granted the fact that you have people around you love and who love you back. And currently, it can be especially hard to get quality time with the friends and family you most want to spend your days with. But make the effort.
When you spend time seeing or talking with a trusted friend, you can vent and get the stress off your chest. Even if you listen as your friends vent, you’ll walk away with the feeling that you did something good for them. And you’ll feel just a little less alone in this sometimes daunting and lonesome world.
Connection doesn’t have to mean an expensive night out or an hour-long telephone call, either. Sometimes connecting can be as simple as sending a joke or funny memory via text. Just do your best to keep your friendships afloat and spend time letting the people you care about know they matter.
E is for Enjoyment: Focusing on Happiness is a Key to Mental Health and Wellness
Finally, E is for enjoyment. This one is a favorite. It’s what makes life worth living. So think about what cracks you up? What makes you feel peaceful? What activity could you spend hours and hours doing? Do you have a special hobby you love to get lost in? Carve out the time for these things. It’s a great form of decompression and self care.
When it comes to laughter, research has actually shown that laughter can relax your entire body. A really hearty bellylaugh can release tension and reduce stress. In fact, your muscles can remain relaxed for almost up to an hour after the laughter subside. Also, laughter can strengthen your immune system by decreasing the production of stress hormones and increasing the production of antibodies. Plus, the hormones released when you laugh naturally help to give you a sense of well-being. 3
Whatever it is that brings you true joy, do more of it. That may be watching your favorite comedies, turning on your favorite old school jams and rocking out in your kitchen, baking, singing, or playing games with family. Whatever it is, it’s likely good for you. So give yourself some time for plain old fun.
BACE For Self Care: In The End…
At the end of the day, taking good care of yourself the BACE way can offer you some real comfort. Your body is an important part of the equation, but it’s only part of the equation. Achieving your goals, connecting with loved ones, and enjoying yourself are all positive ways to treat yourself well. Here’s to self care the BASE way.
Learn More:
Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/#:~:text=Exercise%20improves%20mental%20health%20by,self%2Desteem%20and%20cognitive%20function.&text=Exercise%20has%20also%20been%20found,self%2Desteem%20and%20social%20withdrawal.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5142605/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2762283/
