How to not burn saucepans: Chapter 1 - Self Care

My ability to function hinges on getting quality sleep, eating well and exercising. A lot of people seem to cope alright with 6 hours of sleep per night, drinking multiple cups of coffee, eating junk food and barely exercising. I’m not one of them - I quickly become irritable, distractible and lethargic after even one night of short sleep. Many of the mistakes I’ve made at work and in relationships have come after a period of sleep deprivation. I’ve come to the conclusion that self care is not a luxury for me, it’s essential.

‍

‍

Here’s what works for me:

‍

Sleep: 8.5hrs per day

‍

Nutrition: whole foods diet - no refined carbohydrates

‍

Caffeine/other stimulants: no habitual use

‍

Exercise: minimum 30 minutes per day ideally an hour

‍

Meditation: minimum 20 minutes per day

‍

Journaling: minimum 15 minutes per day

‍

‍

Sticking to that regime is not easy. The way I operate is quite different to most people and probably quite undesirable to the general population. Yet it works for me. I recognise that this regime takes up a lot of time and that I’m operating from a position of privilege: I don’t have any dependents (though I’m expecting a child in a few months), have support from my wife and have a flexible work schedule. I’m not advocating that everyone do the same activities but that you find a way of fitting some self care in each day. I didn't start with the routine I have now. I began with five minutes of exercise and five minutes of meditation. As I experienced benefits, I gradually built it up over time (adding a few minutes every week).

‍

‍

Explore each part of self-care in more detail:
‍

• How to Not Burn Saucepans: Chapter 1.1 - Sleep
  ‍
• How to Not Burn Saucepans: Chapter 1.2 - Nutrition
  ‍
• How to Not Burn Saucepans: Chapter 1.3 - Caffeine & Stimulants
  ‍
• How to Not Burn Saucepans: Chapter 1.4 - Exercise
  ‍
• How to Not Burn Saucepans: Chapter 1.5 - Meditation
  ‍
• How to Not Burn Saucepans: Chapter 1.6 - Journaling