With an IV drip in her arm while recording a podcast, Gwyneth Paltrow selfishly didn’t think about how she was simultaneously promoting an unsafe, unrealistic practice and setting a poor example for her fans.
Conversely, Amy Porterfield, author of New York Times best seller “Two Weeks Notice,” posted an Instagram photo of herself with an IV in her arm, sharing with us that she needed an IV because of burnout stemming from pressuring herself to be ‘on’ all the time — always creating, always producing and always showing up.
These two women couldn’t be more dissimilar. Paltrow’s practice of self-care didn’t consider the consequences it might have on others, while Porterfield openly showed us how putting her self-care on hold and pushing through burnout created the consequence of more mental exhaustion and less productivity. She tried to protect her audience from what a 24/7 dedication could bring.
[SEE: Mindfulness Exercises to Reduce Stress or Anxiety.]
What Is Self-Care and Why It’s Important
Many of us confuse the words selfish with self-care. To me, being selfish is when you are number one on your to-do list; your needs always come first, no matter what. Self-care, however, welcomes you to include yourself on your own to-do list while you’re also taking the time to help others. True self-care means you’ll focus on your own needs as part of your everyday habits. It’s not something you only do on your birthday.
In my practice, I see many clients, especially women, who memorize the health records of their partners, or their children or their parents. Yet when it comes to their own laboratory values or even getting regular check-ups, they’re neglectful. Juggling bulging schedules often puts their own health issues on a back burner, if it makes to their stoves at all.
And social media doesn’t help this situation. We often scroll through post after post of successful women promoting their six-figure businesses while they also seem to have perfect kids, the coolest clothing, the best jobs, the most attractive meals (which they cooked) and of course they look amazing and they also have thousands of followers. How could we possibly compete with those accomplishments and still find time to take care of ourselves?
It’s easy to believe that everyone around you has everything you don’t have. But if you look little closer you’ll see that what most people show you online is a heavily curated platform to put their best sides forward. So basically, you’re comparing your behind-the-scenes real life to their edited, enhanced reel of highlights.
I’ll admit that I too have a hard time controlling the scrolling, so as part of my own self-care, I follow people on social media that I respect. But since we don’t actually know a lot about the people we compare ourselves to, I was curious about how those I admire took the time to take care of themselves while they also cared for their audiences.
[See: Tips to Manage Stress at Work.]
Self-Care Tips
To satisfy my curiosity, I reached out to three powerhouse women who regularly take you behind the scenes and share a slice of their lives, including those situations that make them vulnerable or may set them back. They might have their teams, but they also come across as being genuine, authentic, sincere and real. They shared some of their distinctive self-care routines with me, hoping their tips might encourage you to give yourself more “likes.”
3 social media stars who are rocking self-care:
— Amy Porterfield (@amyporterfield), online marketing educator.
— Sue B. Zimmerman (@the instagram expert), Instagram marketing and business coach.
— Laura Belgray (@laurabelgray), founder of copywriting companyTalking Shrimp and author of forthcoming “Tough Titties” (out June 13, Hachette).
They are Instagram superstars and inspirations to business owners and creators personally, professionally and financially.
Your Morning Routine
How you start your morning could set the tone for the way your day unfolds. I personally get up at a different time every day and besides downing a steamy cup of coffee, no two days are ever alike. Porterfield agrees that it’s hard to stay consistent but she also recognizes the need to fuel her body with a healthy breakfast and to take the time to practice mindfulness through meditation or even just sitting quietly for a few minutes.
Zimmerman, in the company of an adorable puppy, makes sure that she gets outside in the morning to see the sky and set her intention for the day. Her routine includes an activity I had never heard before: At the end of her shower, she braves 3 minutes of cold water. And to keep her distracted from the chill, she lifts weights and uses exercise bands to keep fit.
Belgray may be onto something: She doesn’t schedule anything before noon or 1 p.m. if she can help it. She finds alarms to be traumatizing. She goes for a morning 2-mile walk through her neighborhood, which she calls “doing my rounds,” and then comes home and writes in 750words.com. As a writer, creativity drives her, including writing emails to her list.
[READ: Stress and Hair Loss.]
Calming Time When Overwhelmed
With all they have on their plates, I wondered how these women coped when feeling overwhelmed. Physical activity is a stress-reliever for many of us. Belgray finds that a walk does the trick, but says, “I don’t know if that centers me but at least it burns calories!”
Zimmerman recently created a post that encouraged us to embrace the importance of rest. “Invest in rest” is what she called it, describing how rest can be productive, even when “rest” includes activities like baking a cake or reading a book. Zimmerman makes an effort to minimize stress by spacing out her commitments and putting things in perspective with “grace, understanding and never blame or shame,” as she puts it.
Porterfield tries to squash overwhelm before it even happens; before she shuts down work for the night, she writes down the top three things she must do the next day. And she’s not afraid to tell her assistant she when she needs more “white space,” as she calls it, for breaks in her schedule. She also makes time for a one-hour lunch with her hubby and a 20 to 30 minute nap to recharge when necessary.
Finding Foods That Are Friends
When asked about foods that made them feel their best, Zimmerman describes regularly taking pre- and probiotics, and eating ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, greens, almonds and healthy protein from meat that is grass fed. She has an interest in knowing where her food comes from and reading food labels — she even has a degree in nutrition from Simmons College.
“I battled with weight my entire life,” Porterfield says. “I finally brought myself to a healthy place by limiting most indulgences to the days I’m not working.” She described being particularly sensitive to refined sugar, which ultimately makes her feel more tired and less productive.
Belgray reveals that she too, “dieted all through my youth — that’s up to like, mid-30s,” and now she rebels against food restrictions.
All three women recognize the importance of keeping hydrated and relying on water throughout the day.
Catching Zzzzzs
We’ve all felt the effects of how a lack of sleep could zap your energy, tank your productivity and mess with your mood. Porterfield describes herself as “obsessed with sleep,” needing 8 hours of sleep each night to squelch anxiety and to help her function, even when she’s on the road. She relies on the help of a magnesium supplement before turning in to help her relax.
Zimmerman falls right to sleep after a bath with lavender oil and magnesium salts. Some people find journaling before bed to help them review their day and relax, but Zimmerman uses her Instagram stories as a journal, sharing openly and honestly about her day.
Belgray finds that cannabis gummies help rock her to sleep.
So whether it’s creating a course, writing a book or being sensational — in a good way — on social media, your efforts will take talent, time and energy. It’s not smart to build your business on shaky ground, making it essential to take care of yourself, as if it were a part of your business plan, since YOU are the true foundation of whatever you do.
Self-care doesn’t mean taking an occasional bubble bath or taking yourself to the movies; it means appreciating yourself, showing self-respect and turning that negative self-talk into a whisper instead of a shout. Even the most confident people doubt themselves every now and then, but caring for yourself should never be negotiable.
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Best Self-Care Tips From Experts originally appeared on usnews.com
