Self-care is often linked with being selfish or self-indulgent. But the truth is, self-care is an important aspect to ensure your well-being in the long run. Especially with all the chaos that we’ve been going through for the past year, we’ve learnt just how important it is to take care of our health, both mentally and physically.
So, if you want to improve your self-care routine, read on to find out some simple yet helpful habits you can try!
1. Start your morning with some enthusiasm by spending 10 minutes outside
Experts have found that being exposed to early morning sun can provide various benefits such as:
- Helping your body to produce vitamin D to strengthen your bones
- Strengthening your immune system
- Aiding in regulating your sleep
However, do be mindful that ‘morning sun’ in this context means from 7AM to 9AM. After that, sun exposure can be harmful to us.
2. Stimulate your fun-loving self with pleasing scents
Breathing exercises are extremely helpful during stressful situations. It can be as simple as the 4-7-8 exercise (inhale for 4 counts, hold it for 7 counts and exhale for 8 counts) that can act as a tranquiliser for your nervous system.
Additionally, exposing ourselves to aromatherapy has also been proven to help improve our health in multiple aspects. Some popular scents include:
- Lavender: can relieve stress
- Sandalwood: can calm your nerves and help you to focus
- Lemon: can regulate your mood and aid in digestion/headaches
- Chamomile: can regulate your mood and improve relaxation
3. Organise each area of your house to avoid clutters
Studies have found that decluttering your spaces can provide both mental and physical benefits such as:
- Reducing stress and anxiety – When you’re surrounded by unorganised clutter, it can get overwhelming which can trigger stress hormones. Having to constantly clean up messes can also be tiring.
- Helps you to focus and increase productivity – Working in a cluttered space can be visually distracting and thus, making it hard for your brain to perceive information.
- Improves sleep quality – Sleeping in a tidy bedroom, especially with clean sheets, has been found to aid with the quality of your sleep. This can also be attributed to the fact that a tidy house means you’d have fewer distractions and a clearer mind.
Thus, you can start by dedicating 15 minutes daily to clear up one clutter in your home at a time. As for your desktop area, it is better to keep it as minimalistic as you can to help improve your work performance.
4. Go fully offline at least one hour prior to bedtime
It is now a widely known fact that spending too much screen time can take a toll on our mental health. This is caused by:
- A delay in the release of melatonin (a hormone that promotes sleep regulation) causes less restful sleep and can cause stress/anxiety.
- Media consumption can cause you to start comparing yourself/your life with others. This can lead to low self-esteem, body image issues and eventually, depression.
However, it is understandable that sometimes, the very nature of our work requires a lot of screen time. Thus, you can try to cut off screen time at least one hour prior to bedtime to enhance your sleep quality.
5. Stay involved in your work by taking 10-minute nap breaks
Instead of solely relying on caffeine, a healthier option would be to take a power nap. The ideal length of a power nap should only last about 10-20 minutes so you can re-energise your body without feeling groggy after waking up. Power naps can help to:
- Improve your memory
- Boost your cognitive skills and creativity
- Increase energy levels
- Regulate your mood and emotions
6. Nurture your caring side by helping those in need
Helping other people who are in genuine need is not only the right thing to do, but it has also been proven to actually make a difference within ourselves, such as:
- Triggering happy hormones in our brain
- Boosting our self-esteem and enforcing a more positive self-image
- Overcome feelings of loneliness and depression
- Gives us a sense of purpose in life
Not only that, but people who regularly volunteer or help other people have also been proven to live a longer and healthier life because they tend to be better at managing stress. The best part about helping others is that it doesn’t even have to be expensive or elaborate. Sometimes, you can even make a difference just by spreading positivity.
Speaking of which, there’s actually a contest going on right now that’s encouraging Malaysians to post about how they’re spreading positivity in order to inspire others to do the same!
The contest is called #SmilingStrong and it’s being held in conjunction with National Day, Malaysia Day and World Smile Day, where Malaysians can win up to RM5,300 in cash prizes!
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Organised by UEM Sunrise, the contest is part of their National Smiles Campaign that is inspired by the Malaysian spirit to spread even more smiles! This contest aims to encourage Malaysians to start giving back to the community during this time of need and hopes to inspire the people around us to do the same. How to join? Easy! Just follow these steps:
- Create an Instagram Reel or a Video Post where you show what’s keeping you #SmilingStrong and staying positive even during these extraordinary times. Remember, the more creative the better!
- Don’t forget to tag @uem_sunrise on Instagram and include the hashtag #SmilingStrong.
- Follow and like UEM Sunrise on both Instagram and Facebook.
And that’s it! The most creative submissions will stand a chance to win cash prizes worth up to RM5,300! Not only that, but with every 100 submissions, UEM Sunrise will be donating 100 packs of essential items to charity! Win-win right? ? Find out more here!
The National Smiles campaign also entails a few other interesting events that you can join such as:
Happening from 4 September to 16 October 2021, property consultants from UEM Sunrise will bring viewers on a virtual tour of exciting residential developments in Johor and Klang Valley. A total of ten projects will be showcased in seven different Facebook live sessions and the best part is, it is open to everyone to join via the UEM Sunrise FB page!
The projects that will be showcased include:
- Johor: Aspira ParkHomes, Aspira LakeHomes, Aspira Square, Senadi Hills, The Maris, Bayu Angkasa, Serassa Greens
- Klang Valley: Verna Serene Heights, Allevia Mont’Kiara, KAIA Heights
Homebuyers would definitely not want to miss out on these live sessions as you can enjoy various benefits* such as:
- Stamp duty exemptions
- MOT waivers
- Cash rebates
- Free maintenance fees, and so much more!
Plus, all viewers can also stand a chance to win Grab or high tea vouchers during each session! Score!
*Terms & conditions apply.
This will be a virtual race where 800 participants can choose to walk, run or cycle for at least 5KM anywhere and anytime and they can expect to win attractive lucky draw prizes! The purpose of this event is to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle while serving as a motivation for everyone to stay fit, especially after staying at home for a long time.
This virtual activity will be running from 16 September until 22 October 2021 and registration is now open until 15 October. Head over to this website to register now!
Don’t you think these events sound awesome? In celebration of the recent Malaysia Day, let us keep igniting the Malaysian spirit within us by giving back to the community and inspiring more smiles from the people around us! If you’re interested in joining these events, head over to their website here. Don’t forget to also follow UEM Sunrise on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates!
