Buying the shoes you've wanted for a while, treating yourself to your favorite overpriced coffee, doing a face mask, or getting your nails done, are all nice temporary reprieves from life's stress. Emphasis on temporary.
It is easy to become burnt out from constantly going from one thing to another with little downtime or overwhelmed from pressures to perform a certain way at school, work, or at home. This is natural. The most important thing is to recognize when you are overwhelmed and not to take on too many additional tasks and overextend yourself. When you have a lot of commitments, which is not always a bad thing, life becomes a series of scheduled meetings and events, which can become exhausting.
Becoming burnt out happens to everyone, it is just important that while pushing through, you also look in. It is easy to tell yourself you just need to make it to next week, next month, or whenever things will likely subside; however, it is important to take care of yourself along the way and especially when your energy seems low.
When every minute of your life seems to be accounted for taking the time to buy an iced coffee or a treat is often tossed around as "self-care." While I also do the same, this is not a way to alleviate stress for more than the five minutes it takes me to down a coffee. Coffee, facemasks, and the like are mere bandaids on larger problems or stress.
I recently read an article published by "Truth Hurts" singer, Lizzo, about how self-care is rooted in self-preservation. Lizzo discussed the need for reflection and friends you can trust:
"We have to start being more honest with what we need, and what we deserve, and start serving that to ourselves. It can be a spa day! But for a lot of people, it's more like, I need a mentor. I need someone to talk to. I need to see someone who looks like me that's successful, that's doing the things that I want to do, to know that it's possible." - Lizzo
Even while busy, it is important to take a step back and "check in" with yourself and ask yourself if there's anything you need to step back from while focusing on pressing responsibilities, and most importantly, yourself. I find it easiest to rank my responsibilities by deadline and importance because I find that by addressing those first, my stress level subsides substantially and I can focus my attention on other things.
When life seems to slow down a little it is easy to feel burnt out after going for what seems like forever. Having low energy sometimes is OK. Not everyone is energetic at all times and that is OK.
What is important is not letting this low energy manifest itself and leaving you in a negative space. For some, the best thing is to take time for themselves by doing what makes them happy whether that be binging a new show or reading a book. Others, like myself, choose to spend time with friends and family and just enjoy their company. Either way, it is important to have self-awareness (easier said than done) and people in your life you consider allies - individuals who support you in being your best self.
I will most certainly continue to buy myself a latte because "I deserve" it, though strongly believe the key to self-care is surrounding yourself with people who help you help yourself when you need it.
