Many lessons come from living through this pandemic. In working with business leaders across the world, I see the growth they realized, the amazing successes they achieved and the concern they have in facing more months of uncertainty.
I relate to that because I felt them, too. Each one of those emotions – and many more – washed over me multiple times. In these situations, I pause to assess and re-establish what matters most. Taking that single step allows me to slow down, breathe and consider the bigger picture in life.
Self-care is critical at any stage of development, but it is particularly powerful during these times of self-isolation as we map new adjustments to schedules, duties and responsibilities. Here are four practices that will greatly boost balance and energy.
- Step into nature. Born and raised in the natural beauty of Montana, I learned as a kid that spending time in nature rejuvenates a person. We are natural beings, and when we’re surrounded by nature, whether it’s in the parks, rivers or lakes, we feel ourselves uniting with nature. Time spent there will enrich our souls and help bring back balance and harmony.
- Breathe and notice. Try this: Close your eyes and name out loud the things you hear, whether it’s near or in the distance. As you continue for one minute, breathe in deeply, slowly and naturally. Realize how this simple practice brings you into the current moment as the breathing clears your mind of concerns in the past or future. Doing this for even five minutes can bring harmony and is one of the most effective ways I experience to bring clarity and perspective. Ifind my heart slows, more oxygen reaches my brain and I can think more clearly. Simply put, breathing works.
- Slow the roll. One benefit of adjusting to the pandemic is slowing down our schedules. Have you noticed that you hear less traffic on the roads? Have you seen that while animals started coming into towns and cities more, the skies are more blue? Slowing down even allows us to sleep a little longer. Make time for this important self-care practice and allow yourself to sleep fully each night. Set up a regular schedule for sleeping and stick to it. The importance of sleep is not lost on any of us; so now could be the perfect time to reset, rebalance and allow the healing power of sleep to work for us.
- Value relationships. Because humans are hard-wired to be social and nothing is more important than relationships, I challenge you to reach out to others just to see how they’re doing. Listen to them. Ask questions. Show genuine interest in them without thought of gushing all your thoughts out. I learned that this value not only sets your day in order, it attracts team members who are ready to do the same. When we value people, that very style causes others to reciprocate with loyalty and diligence to give their best. Everybody wins.
While this list could go on, I find that following these four practices alone helps set us up for more balance and harmony in almost any situation. After all, when it comes to self-care, working from a place of harmony allows us to benefit all around us.