Time to Take Care of Y-O-U

PLAY Time to

Take Care of Y-O-U!

by Loree Walden, Marketing Manager, Yavapai Humane Society

Juggling all the demands of our day-to-day life can sometimes make us feel sluggish, exhausted, and stressed out. Simple tasks seem overwhelming and frustrating. Sometimes you just want to say, “I give up!”

It’s called burnout. It’s important to know our limits and be aware of our health before the amount of demands we’re exposed to pushes us over the edge.

Rejuvenation: Taking the time to take care of y-o-u!

I know you’re thinking: “When am I supposed to find time to do that?” A lot of us don’t have the right work/life balance. It’s time to start taking more time for that “life” part.

Finding time to be still and empty your mind can be challenging, but I’ve come up with a couple ways to give myself a little “escape,” if even for a few minutes.

It can be something as simple as laughing. Watch a funny movie or show, escape with a good book or, if you have pets, spend time with them.

For we cat people, you know how much fun it is watching them try to catch that little red dot or watching them roll around with a toy (add some catnip for added fun). For dog people, a good game of hide and seek with toys is always good for a laugh. Or, just rolling around on the floor with them while they climb on you and give you love and slobbery kisses relieves stress.

If I’m working at home and just feeling at my wits end, I’ll take a 15-minute break and take my dog out for a walk. Or I’ll take a lesson from the cats and lay down for a short little catnap. Talk about rejuvenating your mind and body!

I hung a sign in my bathroom: “New Self-Care: Talk to myself the way I talk to my dog! Hi, sweet girl. You’re so chubby and cute. Want a treat? Need a nap?”

Keeping our minds and bodies healthy are crucial to living our best life. One of the hardest things for me is learning to say “no” and realizing it’s OK when I do.

Of course, I’ll never say no when it comes to my furry family members who make my life complete and make me realize it’s not all about work, it’s about them (LOL).