Leaving emotions unchecked can lead to chronic stress, where your long-term physical and mental health can suffer. 

Not so good, right? To avoid doing harm, you need to acknowledge how you’re feeling day-to-day and confront any negative emotions, such as fear, anger and anxiety. A one-off yoga retreat or massage isn’t necessarily going to cut it here. But the good news is, self-care can come in many forms. 

Practicing self-care is about being kind to yourself. Incorporating some basic habits into your daily routine can make all the difference to improving your mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Here are 3 simple ways to check in with yourself: 

1. Meditate 

Your emotions are a direct response to how you think. Understanding how you’re feeling takes mindful effort, which is developed through the practice of meditation. Meditation helps you become more conscious about the impact your environment and experiences have on you and to live more in the present moment. It gives you the space to quieten the mind and check in on how your body is feeling, and therefore how the mind is thinking. 

A simple body scan meditation is like a daily check-in and is a great way to start your day. This technique focuses your attention on any sensations you may be feeling in the different parts of your body, starting from your head and slowly moving down until your focus reaches your toes. 

Try this meditation and other mindfulness exercises to help you check in with yourself. 

2. Take a walk 

Taking a walk is the perfect opportunity to step out of your busy day for a moment for a bit of self-reflection. Turn up the tunes or listen to the singing birds on your walk. Walking helps ease the brain fog to think more clearly and releases endorphins, improving mood. Walking even ignites your problem-solving abilities, boosts creativity and can help you feel happier all-round. 

3. Keep a journal 

Journaling is a powerful way to take stock at the end of each day; to let things out, process your thoughts and stay connected to yourself. Go through the day in your mind, replaying any particularly memorable events. Note how they made you feel. 

If you’re unsure where to start, ask questions like: 

• How am I feeling today? 
  
• What’s taking up my headspace? 
  
• How do I think of myself? 
  
• What went well today? How can things improve? 
  
• Have there been any changes since yesterday? And last week? 
  

This helps you get in touch with how you’re feeling in the present moment and any trends (like triggers!) that may be surfacing. 

Now, you may be thinking you don’t have the time in your busy schedule to do all this. If that’s the case? Ask yourself, why. If it’s because work has you burning the candle at both ends, it might be time to find an employer that prioritises their employees’ wellbeing. 

Good work-life balance and daily self-care practice is known to boost productivity and make for happier employees. 

September 14th is R U OK? Day and a reminder to ask yourself and others, R U OK?