KEEPING YOUR CUP FULL = TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF

04/17/20

You may have heard the saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup”, which brings so much truth to our reality today. Taking care of ourselves means we are keeping our cup full, providing us the ability to give and care for others. This resonates with me a lot and is something I have been really tuning into over the last year. By tuning in and ensuring my cup is full, I have noticed my performance with work and play are better. I find joy in simple things and I am more present when I am giving to others. Our everyday may look different right now but taking care of ourselves should still be our number one priority. With additional stress and fear of this uncertain time, now more than ever, it is important to take care of our mental, physical and emotional health. With the possibilities of so many new routines such as, working from home, having kids and significant others around 24/7, no extracurricular activities, gyms beings closed, no access to parks and the list could go on, it can be difficult to manage and navigate this new normal.

With a shift in focus and a commitment to ourselves, we can create daily habits and routines that can fill our cup. When I do this, I am happier and I have more energy to care for those around me. I’m calmer and my mind is clearer. During this pandemic, we each will experience a roller coaster of different emotions and that is okay. Our team at BOKS wants to be there for our community of trainers, parents, and kids. We encourage you to make a daily checklist of actions that you will do for yourself, so your cup is full and you are in the driver seat for your health.

Here is a look into what my “Fill Your Cup” checklist looks like:

  • Make my bed
  • Drink water as soon as I get up with my vitamin C
  • Get outside before I start work, short 15-minute (typically I will take my cup of coffee I make around the block following the Public Health Agency of Canada guideline).
  • Move my body with virtual online fitness classes and scheduling my own movement breaks throughout the day (BOKS provides many free and accessible resources for families) Here is one exercise I love to do to energize my body:

  • Take time to sit in stillness
  • Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Read for a least 10 minutes
  • Facetime family or friends
  • Send a text to check in on my peeps
  • Always have my water bottle full
  • Get outside after work and listen to a podcast (this is the time I would typically walk to a fitness class, so I want to build that into my new normal)
  • Walk the stairs in my condo (this is a personal daily challenge I have set for myself during quarantine)
  • Sleep by 10 pm; Wake up 6:30 am (sleep routine is super important for my mood and performance throughout the day)
  • Make a checklist at night for the next day of things I want to accomplish

What will your checklist look like?