Make Self-Care Number One on Your To-Do List

Self-care must be number one on your to-do list. Remember that your body is your temple. It is the only place 'your Self' has to live. Life’s responsibilities are countless for many of us. And in trying to juggle those responsibilities we neglect to take care of ourselves--our temple. We might think about our physical health but that is often where it begins and ends.

Women in particular need to keep an eye on their physical and mental health, because if we're scurrying to and from appointments and errands, we don't have a lot of time to take care of ourselves. We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own to do list. ~ Michelle Obama

Most of my adult life has been weighted with high-stress careers, once in the military and now in corporate America. I rise before the sun and retire long after sunset. I haven't thought about caring for myself--my temple--in some time.

But now, my stress levels are escalating, my body feeling energy-drained, my skin breaking out and my mental acuity becoming dull. So I thought, "I can combat these negative forces and make improvements in my overall health if I just make taking care of myself number one on my to-do list." So I have taken steps to do precisely that and have seen steady progress. You, too, can make marked improvements in your health and fortify your body--your temple.

Make self-care number one on my to-do list. Self-care is an integral part of stress management. Our bodies are conditioned to respond negatively to unhealthy forces bombarding it. Granted, it tries to warn us, but often we do not listen. Bottom line is you can dial it back and condition yourself to focus on a healthy diet, exercise, and relaxation. Improving your ability to relax can prevent chronic stress from negatively affecting your body and overall health.

How to Make Self-Care Number One

Get started with these five basic tips:

1. Make exercise each morning a priority before your day gets started.
2. Drink plenty of water (it flushes impurities from the body).
3. Get a massage (it is known to promote relaxation and well-being).
4. Stop doing things that don’t enhance your wellbeing.
5. Take a break from what causes your stress (go on vacation, turn off your phone, stop surfing social media).

Don't wait for your body to warn you. Start today and put self-care higher on your own to-do list.

More Ways to Self-Care:

• You Can Practice Self-Care on a Budget
• Implement Extreme Self-Care for Depression
• How to Increase Your Self-Esteem with Self-Care

Do you treat your body as if it is sacred? Do you have a regular exercise and fitness regimen? Are you eating healthy meals? When is the last time you pampered yourself?

You can also find Dr. Savion on her website, Google+, Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.