One of the things so many of my clients struggle with is putting themselves first. It’s not that we don’t know what we need to do to stave off burnout and look after ourselves better. Magazines have been telling us this stuff for decades. It’s that we feel we don’t have time and that’s because we don’t make time. There’s always something or someone else we deem more important than our own self-care. We’re last on our own list and we simply don’t prioritise this.

Working with a recent client I asked her to name all the reasons self care was important beyond the fact it’s good for us! Eventually we landed on the ‘aha’ it’s role modelling for the kids. I want my children to look after themselves so I have to show that it’s important. This was a game changer for her. A motivator for self care that has meant she’s now doing this for her kids not just herself. It’s an opportunity to change their future and ensure they look after themselves by the example she sets them.

Putting you first allows you to give to others, it allows you to perform at your peak and it makes you a better person to be around. So not just good for you but good for everybody, especially those we love.

If we started looking at this as a necessary part of doing our job (which it is), we’d struggle less to prioritise it. If we continue to look at this as an indulgence or a treat that we feel guilty for allowing ourselves then it’ll always be last on the list or ‘bumped’ for the things we deem more important (which sadly for most women that’s everything but ourselves).

So what are you motivators for self-care, what are the reasons you can think of that make this is must do activity to make time for? Once we’ve stumbled on that we’ll find it much easier to make time for it and make sure it happens and there’s less guilt attached too!