Self-care can look different for everyone—especially caregivers. If you are caring for a loved one, it’s easy to set aside your own goals and dreams to focus on the job at hand, which can be a recipe for burnout. It’s important for all of us to make self-care part of our regular routine, whether we are caring for others or simply looking to make the most of our lives.
At Montereau, we’re here to support residents and their families, offering both care and a lifestyle that enables self-care. If you’re under stress or looking to improve your quality of life, consider the following questions to incorporate self-care into your lifestyle:
1. Do you thrive doing extroverted or introverted activities?
For the extroverts among us, self-care might include dining with friends or gathering with others for a happy hour or game night. Introverts might prefer a quiet day in the library, a long walk or some time to recharge. Introverts and extroverts alike at Montereau love a day in our campus spa.
2. What’s your speed?
If you’re up for meditative activities consider taking a relaxing stroll on our walking trails, tending to your garden, doing yoga, reading or doing a puzzle at home. For high-intensity, join one of our many sessions at the fitness center or venture off campus to enjoy hiking, your favorite sport or another activity of your choice. Caregivers should take time for themselves to get those quiet moments or vigorous activity. Meanwhile, Montereau residents have their choice to find the perfect lifestyle.
3. What does your ideal day look like?
We all have an image of what our ideal day would look like but oftentimes we fail to make it a reality. Make it part of your routine by creating a monthly checklist of the top five things you’d like to do or experience. It can be as simple as trying a new recipe at home or as adventurous as visiting another country. Try to tick everything off the list before the month ends.
4. What makes you happy?
Discovering what works well for self-care can be as easy as asking yourself this question. Practice a bit of mindfulness in all that you do to determine if a particular activity or place brings you joy or quite the opposite. Then, commit to doing more or what makes you happy, helps you feel relaxed and brings you a sense of fulfillment.
5. Am I maintaining a balance?
A healthy lifestyle requires balance. That’s because caring for your health involves taking a holistic approach to ensure that you’re well taken care of emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically. Check in with yourself regularly, and if life is out of balance, take active steps to change it.
Join us at Montereau:
Did you know that researchers have found that your living environment factors into how well you’ll age? An environment like Montereau puts you in a zone of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Explore the many opportunities on and off campus to enjoy the benefits of self-care. If you want to learn more about life at Montereau, come in for a tour!