For women, hitting midlife can mean landing squarely in the so-called sandwich generation. In other words, these are the years where you may find yourself caring for both your kids and your aging parents or in-laws, often on top of working full time outside the home. Even women without these family responsibilities may find career demands ramping up. It can feel as though there’s no time at all for any kind of self-care, but that’s even more reason why giving yourself a break is so important. These self care ideas for midlife women can improve your overall self-esteem and can help to recharge your energy.
Disclosure: Guest post by Tim Addison
Get Some Sleep
When you’re feeling overwhelmed by how busy you are, you start looking for ways to do even more. All too often, the one activity in your day that looks expendable is sleeping. Maybe you’re trying to fit in more work or caregiving, or maybe you engage in what is sometimes called revenge bedtime procrastination. That’s the tendency to put off going to bed because you feel like you don’t get any breaks during the day to just do exactly what you want.
Unfortunately, it generally tends to be used in a way that’s neither productive nor relaxing, such as endlessly scrolling online or binge-watching mindless TV. You then end up in a vicious cycle where you never feel refreshed. Getting enough sleep can do wonders for your focus and energy, and it really is a critical step in self-care.
Take Advantage of Cosmetic Dental Work
Allowing yourself to indulge in some cosmetic dental care can bring brightness back to your smile and make you feel so much better about yourself. Even if you’ve taken great care of your teeth, over time, they can become discolored. Veneers, whitening, and other cosmetic work can change your appearance drastically and increase your confidence. You don’t have to wait until you have the money or clear out your savings with Cherry payment plans. A payment plan will allow you to get the work done now. You can pay in installments, and it won’t affect your credit score to check your eligibility. You can ask your regular dentist for a unique application link or find it yourself online. It can be tough to spend money on yourself, but these easy monthly payments make it much more affordable.
Speak to a Friend
Connection is important, but it needs to be the kind of connection that can nurture you. As a woman in midlife, you can begin to feel as though you’re spending all your time in one role or another, such as wife, daughter, mother, or employee. This can be rewarding but exhausting. Talking to a friend can help you feel more like yourself again.
A family member works, too, but only if it’s someone you’re close to in a way that centers you and that doesn’t make you feel like you need to do something for them. This should be an opportunity for you to talk about a hobby, or a book you read, or your favorite TV show. A great thing about this remedy is that it doesn’t have to involve finding extra time to do it. You can make a phone call during a commute, while you’re stacking the dishwasher at night, or during an evening walk.
Get Active
Speaking of an evening walk, getting some movement in during the day is important. Maybe it feels like the last thing you want to do when you’re rushing from one thing to the next, but when you find a physical activity that you enjoy doing, you will be surprised at how eager you are to fit it in. In fact, it can increase your energy. Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be formal exercise, but can be as much as putting on your favorite tunes and dancing in the kitchen counts. So does walking the dog or gardening.
Schedule Some Down Time
Sometimes, self-care can start to seem like just another item on the to-do list. Yet you may struggle to allow yourself any indulgence that isn’t already strictly scheduled. There’s a two-fold solution for this. First, schedule some time for yourself just as you would a meeting, a shift at work, or anything else that’s nonnegotiable. If it’s only an hour per week, that’s better than nothing. Then, genuinely allow yourself to do whatever you want in that block you’ve set aside.
These self care ideas include the previous sleep avoidance activities mentioned above, scrolling online, or allowing yourself some mindless binge-watching. If you want to lie on a sofa and stare into space for an hour, go ahead, as not every activity has to serve some greater purpose. Eventually, you might start to feel the sense of burnout lifting enough that you want to use the time to read a book or go for a walk, but remember that you aren’t obligated to do anything you don’t feel like doing.
Publisher’s 5 Cents on 5 Self Care Ideas for Midlife
I had my teeth straightened at the age of 48, and I wish I had done this so earlier for many reasons, including self-confidence. Indeed, activity must not be a workout. I feel so much better after a walk, even in winter, mowing the lawn, or dancing. These activities clear my mind and recharge my energy.
Photo: G. Kramm
Collage: N. Mölders
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