Holiday Break Self-Care

Hello all! :)

It's been awhile since I've blogged, and I'm happy to be back on here :) With holiday break coming up for many of us, it is important that we take this time to RELAX! I have included a few tips below on practicing self-care during the break!  These can even be applied to other school breaks during the year (summer, spring break, etc.)

Find your "long lost hobby": Many of us have hobbies that we used to do...and things just kind of got busy. The holiday break is great time to pick up those lost hobbies or even discover a new one! Even when break is over, this can be a great way to practice self-care during your free time! For example, I plan to take some time over holiday break to experiment with new recipes and practice using my crock pot :) You can also pick up an old hobby that you don't always have time for. Whether it's finishing an old book, crafting, or jogging...find something that works for you, makes you happy, and relieves stress! Also, engaging in non-counseling related activities can help in practicing self care.


Treat Yourself: You've worked hard this year, so taking some time to reward yourself can be a good thing! It can be something small..or big! Whatever you choose, be sure to take some time for YOU! Treat yourself..you deserve it! :) This can something that you don't normally get a chance to do with your busy schedule. You can buy yourself something nice, cook a nice dinner...or stop by redbox to get your favorite movie to watch a home! :) these are examples...but a treat can be a nice way to reward yourself for the hard work during the year!


Declutter: This can mean a variety of things...but taking time to declutter and clear your head can be self care in itself! By cleaning out the garage, your car, or other areas around the house...it can help in releiving stress and helping you "breathe easy", Engaging in decluttering can help make your daily routine easier when you return back to work!


Celebrate: Getting into the holiday spirit and engaging in holiday activities can help in taking care of yourself. Taking time to focus on other things can help in keeping the focus off work (for a little while) and enjoying your break. School Counseling is an awesome job, but it is also a good idea to take time for you, celebrate, and practice self-care! In addition, devoting some of your time to helping others through volunteering (or donating) can be a great idea during the holiday season!


I hope that you've enjoyed these tips...I tailored these to fit holiday and summer break, but feel free to check out my other self-care blog post by clicking HERE.

Also, be on the lookout for new TpT products in the next few weeks or so....I have some new things coming out soon!


Until Next Time,

~Nicole

A post about self-care...

Hi everyone!!

I hope that the summer is treating everyone well! :) I feel that it is going by super fast, and I am enjoying every minute of it! But I am super excited to be interning at a middle school this fall :) One of my goals for this summer is to work on practicing self-care. I recently asked a question about this on twitter recently and I got a few replies with great ideas! For this post, I have included things that I have come up with on my own as well as tips that I have received! I created this Self-Care acronym that I will discuss throughout the post.

1. Schedule Self Care Time: This is the advice that I received from Twitter on this topic. The Counseling Geek stated that is important to schedule a "no work zone" and time. I completely agree with this! By scheduling the time, you are making it a priority which is what I have been working to do!

2. Enjoy non-counseling related activities: This is a must for me! So far this summer, I have been cooking and baking new recipes! I enjoy this because it helps to relieve my stress and it is something to do in my down time. By having hobbies unrelated to counseling, this gives you a small break from the world of counseling (as wonderful as it is!) so that you can prevent future burnout!

3. List your hobbies: I found this to be extremely helpful in practicing self-care. When I first started, I had to sit down and think of all of my hobbies, so I had something to refer to when I was in need of "me time". I wasn't sure if I had many hobbies, so I also took some time this summer to develop some. For instance, I am spending more time outdoors and enjoying the wonderful weather!

4. Focus on you: It is essential to take time for yourself. At times, we are busy taking care and helping others, but it is important to take a minute for yourself. Reading is a hobby that I have gotten back into and I love it :) No matter how busy the day is I try to take time to read some pages in the book that I am currently reading. Having something (and someone) to make time for is important in practicing self care.

5. Chat & Socialize: In addition to having hobbies, and "me time", it is also important to make time for the special people in your life. During your down time you can call a friend, family member, or special someone to say hello and ask them about their day. I have found this to be helpful,  especially on stressful days. In addition to calling, text messaging or emailing, scheduling in person time is important as well! :) This also helps in scheduling your self-care time!

6. Acknowledge your stress: Know your limits, and pay attention to when you are feeling stressed or on the brink of burnout! When your body is trying to communicate to you, be sure to listen! When you acknowledge the signs, you will know when self-care time is needed. Ignoring the signs can lead to increased stress, which can make it difficult. For example, if you are working on a project, it may be best to put the rest off for another day!

7. RELAX: This goes without saying...but relaxation is important!! Find what helps you relax and make time for that :)

8. Energize: Keep yourself energized! Taking time for yourself will allow to to have energy for the other things and people in your life :)

This post may have been somewhat short and sweet, but I hope that you all found it useful! Enjoy the rest of your summer. I just added some new tabs to the blog page, and my Counseling Library page is up! I have shared all of the counseling titles that I have :) TpT Store page is up as well! :) I am currently working on the "About Me" and "Counseling Must Haves" and they will be up soon!

What tips and strategies do you have for self-care? Feel free to share them, I would love to hear them!!

Until Next Time,

~Nicole