[[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"How to practice better self-care at work","text":"

Here are some simple ways to shift your focus and practice better self-care on the job:<\/p>

  1. Managing your work-life balance.<\/li>
  2. Advocating for your career growth.<\/li>
  3. Asking for help.<\/li>
  4. Taking risks.<\/li>
  5. Being honest about your capacity.<\/li>
  6. Taking a sick day or mental health day when you need it.<\/li> <\/ol>","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Answer"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Answer","name":"What is self-care at work?","text":"Self-care at work begins with recognizing that in order to do your best work, you need to be at your best. Whether you work on-site with thousands of colleagues, or remotely from your living room. Practicing self-care at work helps you stay engaged and avoid burnout.","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Answer1"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","keywords":["Employee Mental Health","Employee Advocacy","Health and Wellness","Employee Experience","https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#BlogPosting#3"],"about":["https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q4519653","https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#BlogPosting#2","Purpose","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Self-care",{"@type":"Thing","name":"Self-care at work","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Thing"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/","articleBody":"Of all my soapboxes, the one I jump onto most frequently is the self-care box. I\u2019m a huge self-care advocate, believing that in a culture where people\u2019s attentions are spread so thin, we are quick to lose focus on ourselves and to get lost in the shuffle of to-do\u2019s and deliverables and other people\u2019s needs.Now, self-care can mean any number of things, based on who you ask. I\u2019m not referring to things like spa days or day-long Netflix binges. I\u2019m talking about the practice of listening to yourself and considering your own needs as much as you do for other people.I like to think about it like treating yourself as you would your own child.Sometimes you need to create space to feel safe and nurtured, and sometimes you need to make yourself eat your vegetables and clean your room. It\u2019s about listening and deciphering what you need, what is in your best interest, and making that as much a priority as the needs of other people in your life.We talk about self-care a lot as it relates to our personal lives, but good self-care is also hugely beneficial at work. We know that employees who feel engaged and \u201ctaken care of\u201d at work tend to be healthier and more productive \u2013 and many companies invest in employee engagement initiatives and programs to try and cultivate that engagement (which is great and hugely important!).But there are also ways you can cultivate that feeling of being \u201ctaken care of\u201d for yourself.What is self-care at work?Self-care at work begins with recognizing that in order to do your best work, you need to be at your best. So, how can you set yourself for success? Whether you work on-site with thousands of colleagues, or remotely from your living room, here are some simple ways to shift your focus and practice better self-care on the job.Managing your work-life balance.With so many companies operating globally, with teams scattered across time zones and technology allowing us to be \u201cplugged in\u201d at all times, it can be difficult to shut it down at 5:00p.m. every day. But unplugging from work is critical \u2013 and actually encourages you to be more focused and productive when you plug back in. Practice scheduling your day in order of priorities, and then truly stepping away when you\u2019re done, so you can be fully present in the rest of your life, which is what you\u2019re working for to begin with, right?Advocating for your career growth.I have been very fortunate to have had some incredibly proactive and supportive managers who took a personal interest in helping me shape and direct my career. But you can\u2019t always rely on your boss to take the initiative to point you in that direction. It may be uncomfortable, but it\u2019s important to learn how to articulate what it is you want, so they can help you figure out how to get there. Pro-tip: Find a mentor. Reach out to someone in your company or your field who you look up to, and ask if they would help mentor and coach you professionally. Having someone to bounce ideas off of, or to help you navigate tricky situations, will help you feel more empowered when it\u2019s time to advocate for what you need.Asking for help.It\u2019s easier said than done, because no one likes to look like they don\u2019t know what they\u2019re doing. But asking for help when you need it is the easiest way to avoid overwhelm, and to learn and grow in your field. Whether you\u2019re trying to figure out a new software program you\u2019ve never used before, or you need someone to support you with your workload (see below for more on that), reaching out and asking for help before it becomes a problem will not only help you address that issue in the moment, but it will show you\u2019re self-aware and in-tune with your abilities.Taking risks.On the flip side, you don\u2019t want to be scared to make any decisions. If you\u2019re someone who needs help building your confidence at work, self-care may look like getting outside your comfort zone, and being willing to try new things and make mistakes. As long as you\u2019re honest about setting expectations, push yourself to try something you\u2019ve never done. You may find that you\u2019re more capable than you give yourself credit for.Being honest about your capacity.We\u2019ve all gone through periods where our workload becomes so big that we aren\u2019t able to do any of our tasks well \u2013 there\u2019s simply no time! It just need to get done. And while I\u2019d love to offer a solution for avoiding these situations altogether, that\u2019s unrealistic. Instead, what you can do is be honest about your workload, and the quality of work you\u2019re able to deliver. Make sure your boss knows that this may not be your best work, but that if it truly does \u201cjust need to get done,\u201d you can do that. Trying to be a superhero when you are running on fumes won\u2019t do you any favors. Pro-tip: Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! When work is overwhelming, check in regularly with your boss or your team to align about which tasks are the most critical. That way, if you truly can\u2019t do it all, you at least know where to focus your energy.Taking a sick day or mental health day when you need it.Whether you wake up with a fever or realize that the stress and anxiety of work is truly interfering with your health, do not feel ashamed to take time to recover. You wouldn\u2019t send your kid to school with the flu, and it\u2019s not just because they\u2019re contagious. Sometimes you simply need to rest.Remember, practicing self-care is not selfish. You want to show up at work every day as your best self, so you\u2019re able to be effective at what you do. Practicing self-care at work helps you stay engaged and avoid burnout. And sure, not every person at every job is in a position to set their own boundaries \u2013 but, shouldn\u2019t they be? Does your HR strategy retain + recruit top talent or drive them away?Change the world of work for good.Start HERE.","description":"Self-care at work is hugely beneficial \u2013 in an always-on world, it's more important than ever to practice the things that protect our emotional and mental health.","dateModified":"2022-11-18","datePublished":"2019-09-02","wordCount":1079,"name":"How to practice better self-care at work","headline":"How to practice better self-care at work","subjectOf":{"@type":"FAQPage","name":"self-care at work","about":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Thing"},"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q4519653","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Self-care"],"mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How to practice better self-care at work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Answer"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Question"},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is self-care at work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Answer1"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#Question1"}],"abstract":"Now, self-care can mean any number of things, based on who you ask. I\u2019m not referring to things like spa days or day-long Netflix binges. I\u2019m talking about the practice of listening to yourself and considering your own needs as much as you do for other people. I like to think about it like treating yourself as you would your own child. Sometimes you need to create space to feel safe and nurtured, and sometimes you need to make yourself eat your vegetables and clean your room. It\u2019s about listening and deciphering what you need, what is in your best interest, and making that as much a priority as the needs of other people in your life.","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#FAQPage"},"author":{"@type":"Person","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/283f827308e9964415916a9beba427c6?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96,"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/283f827308e9964415916a9beba427c6?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/emily-kelly\/","name":"Emily Morrow","identifier":216,"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/emily-kelly\/#Person"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/thumbnail-73c21e233ecb0cc212dca72c7ed1def7.jpeg","height":375,"width":1200,"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/thumbnail-73c21e233ecb0cc212dca72c7ed1def7.jpeg"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/themes\/hybris_foc\/assets\/images\/layout\/logo-foc-2x.svg","height":"96","width":"293","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/themes\/hybris_foc\/assets\/images\/layout\/logo-foc-2x.svg"},"address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","name":"The Future of Commerce","addressCountry":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/#Country","addressLocality":"Newtown Square","addressRegion":"PA","postalCode":"19073","streetAddress":"3999 West Chester Pike","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/#PostalAddress"},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/","alternateName":"The Future of Commerce and Customer Engagement","additionalType":"news media","name":"The Future of Commerce","description":"News, information, and analysis on the future of commerce, including e-commerce, customer engagement, B2B, B2C, DTC, supply chain, sustainability, and purpose.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/groups\/4844282","https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/a-call-for-a-better-experience\/id1479742201","https:\/\/twitter.com\/FutureOfCEC","https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/feed\/"],"contactPoint":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/#ContactPoint","legalName":"The Future of Commerce","parentOrganization":"https:\/\/www.sap.com\/index.html#Organization","numberOfEmployees":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/#QuantitativeValue","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/"},"@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#BlogPosting"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"09","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"02","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/\/09\/\/02\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"How to practice better self-care at work","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2019\/09\/02\/how-to-practice-self-care-at-work\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]