TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF
taking care of yourself, even when you don't have the time
5 simple habits for taking care of yourself even on the busiest of days!
Between work, obligations and unforeseen events, our days often resemble marathons, and it's not always easy to keep up. taking care of yourself too often comes last... Yet it is precisely the reactor core to feel good, be productive and feel proud of yourself at the end of the day.
In this article we asked @leacoff (ex @jenesuispasjolie), a content creator committed to well-being and balanced routines (a real business woman!) to share with us and tips on how to save energy every day! 🧘♀️
5 minutes to breathe (but really)
Before starting the day, in transport or between appointments, taking 5 minutes to breathe deeply can really make a difference!
Léa Coff : A few years ago, I used to confuse taking a break with wasting time. When you're managing a business, a podcast, your life as a mum, your social life and your clients, you quickly get the impression that every minute you're not productive means you're late. When I have busy periods, I plan the time for me in my diary first, it's my non-negotiable.
His advice: Put some personal time in your diary, as if it were an important meeting, you can't cancel or postpone it at the last minute, it's your non-negotiable.
Move a little, even briefly
We often underestimate the impact of movement on our well-being. Yet every movement counts. That's the GOOD MOVE spirit of Pokawa Healthy Life: focusing on daily activity rather than performance.
Léa Coff : For a long time I thought that if it wasn't a “real” 2-hour gym session, it didn't count. Except that the all-or-nothing approach is the best way to keep procrastinating. Accepting that 15 minutes of walking is already movement, that taking the stairs instead of the lift is already movement, that getting off the underground 2 stops before your destination is already movement!
His advice: Forget about performance, the aim isn't to sweat, it's to get your body moving again and boost your energy.
Simplify your diet (instead of complicating it)
Feeling good also means eating well (a nod to our GOOD FOOD pillar). And yet, because we don't have enough time, we often end up snacking on anything or, worse still, skipping a meal.
Léa Coff : This one speaks to me personally. For years I had a little voice telling me: «What's the point of cooking just for yourself? I would skip meals because I was too caught up in a project. I'd say to myself «it doesn't matter, you can make up for it tonight». And sometimes I'd forget about lunch altogether.
It all started when I realised that food is fuel, not a reward you give yourself when you can't eat much. Eating well doesn't necessarily mean spending 1 hour in the kitchen.
That's exactly why Pokawa is one of my go-to meals. A Poké Bowl is a truly balanced meal: protein, good carbohydrates, fresh vegetables, in 5 minutes. It's this kind of option that has helped me move away from the «I eat when I've got time» pattern to «I eat because it's basic».
His advice: Social networks have led us to believe that eating well is necessarily complicated. But in reality, eating well is all about making things simple and accessible in your daily life, so you don't have to think about them when you're already overwhelmed.
The most important thing we often overlook: ✨hydration✨
Fatigue, lack of concentration, little slumps... What if it was simply a lack of water?
Léa Coff : Hydration is the most basic thing in the world and yet it's the first thing I forget. When you're in tunnel mode on a project, you can easily get to 3pm without having had a glass of water. And then you wonder why your head hurts and you can't concentrate.
His advice: I always have a full flask on my desk. Seeing it reminds me to drink. In fact, it's not a question of willpower, it's a question of environment: you make the gesture easier, you do it automatically. As a little bonus, a really cute bottle is always nicer.
Creating a micro-moment for yourself
Taking care of yourself also means allowing yourself a few moments to yourself, however brief.
These breaks allow you to slow down, reconnect with yourself and keep a good mood (cuckoo for our GOOD MOOD pillar).
Léa Coff : When we talk about a «micro-moment for yourself», we're not talking about a spa weekend. We're talking about that moment in your day when you do something just for you, without feeling guilty. For me, this is often my lunch break. Before, I used to eat in front of my computer while answering emails. Now, when I order my Pokawa, I sit down, put down the phone and take that moment. It's 20 minutes, but those 20 minutes change the rest of my day.
His advice: Apps that block social networking, limit your screen time to certain times of the day or even just putting your phone on aeroplane mode for 20 minutes can be enough to recreate a real space of your own.
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