Selfish or Selfless?

How putting yourself first might be the best thing you can do for your loved ones!

It’s 7 am and the alarm goes off. It doesn’t really matter though because you’ve been awake for 10 minutes. Your internal alarm clock has been beating the one on the side-table for the best part of 10 years. Covid or not, there is no overriding this system.

You make breakfast for the kids, dive in the shower, somehow finding a few minutes to make yourself presentable and prepare for another day at the office… at home. There is no separation between them; they seamless blend one into the other. The door might be closed as you begin answering your emails but it’s impossible to truly focus. How you miss the commute knowing that after drop-off you could be Ms professional and have a break from being mum.

The day goes on; lunch passes you by as you juggle home related task with work ones. You grab a quick snack from the cabinet; it might not be the healthiest choice… but it does what it needs to do.

If this sounds like you then we need to talk. And I mean sit down and have a serious conversation not one of those chats you have while helping with the homework, cooking the dinner and trying to get the car insurance renewed over the phone. It’s easy to fall into the trap of putting everyone else before yourself. That’s your duty isn’t it? Mother, wife, provider, housekeeper, taxi service and so on. There just aren’t enough hours in the day, so you have taken multi-tasking to dizzying new heights. But there is a cost…

Always putting yourself in the backseat takes a toll on your body and mind; you risk damaging both your physical and mental health when you neglect yourself. You wouldn’t dream of your loved ones going without personal time or a well-prepared meal… so why is it acceptable for you?

The truth is that you have been conditioned, and conditioned yourself, to believe that it is your responsibility to be selfless.

However, in reality, spending some time ‘working on you’ is not only the best thing you can do for yourself, but for your loved ones. Deep down, despite outward protestations, you have sensed this all along… call it intuition.

When you treat yourself and your time as valuable, so do those around you. It is not selfish to have an hour or two to yourself to exercise, eat a proper nutritious meal or to meditate. Everyone thrives on routine. As soon as you set clear boundaries that this time is for you, it will be accepted as part of the new routine. That hour that you are unavailable will encourage those that rely on you to find solutions to their own problems promoting independence and patience: desirable skills.

Self-care helps you to run at your optimal level. Exercise and good eating habits go hand-in-hand and have incredible benefits for both body and mind. Many a fitness professional will tell you that, ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’ and that the key to looking good and feeling good, ‘is 80% diet 20% exercise’. You need to take time to fuel your body with the right nutrition. It might mean setting aside some time at the weekend to batch cook but when you eat right, your body and mind are at their healthiest; a healthy you is a happy and productive you.

Time is the most precious of commodities. It cannot be bought with all the success and wealth in the world but it can be managed… and it can be invested. By investing some of your time in yourself through diet, exercise or meditation you improve your mental and physical well-being. Your immune system will be stronger, blood pressure lower and stress level under control. You will feel more active, get better quality sleep, smile more and lose some weight along the way.

At Hoorays! we understand that you are expected to be everything to everyone and there is no ‘day off’. That’s why we have partnered with leading experts to provide the best in practical advice you can start implementing today. We believe it’s often the subtlest of changes that make the biggest impacts and when you are at your best, you give your best and ultimately, everyone wins. Sign up for our online events today to start taking steps towards a better life for you and your family.

Next time you feel guilty about finding some time to look after yourself remember that with all the benefits, not just for you but for your loved ones, it is easy to see how an hour of selfish time is the most selfless thing you can do!

Join Hoorays! today and find out how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals.