As you wake up on a Wednesday morning, you roll over and scroll sleepily through Instagram. You stumble upon a few #wcw posts, which usually incite your inspiration and envy. But today, you decide, “I’m the bomb dot com, I’m going to be my own woman crush today.”
Now, you’ve set the tone of positivity for the whole day but you can’t lose momentum. Try to do these 9 self-love tasks.
1. Resist the snooze button (the second time).
Sleeping in may feel good for ten minutes, but a stressful morning routine can color an entire day. Even if you’re not down for 6 AM spin or sunrise yoga, an extra ten minutes of prep time will help you breathe before a busy day.
2. Don’t get that fancy Starbucks concoction.
No morning macchiato? What kind of #womancrushwednesday is this? Each Starbucks stop saps funds from that potential vacation, new camera, or fancy spin class. You need to balance your caffeine fix with cutbacks elsewhere. Settle for black coffee instead of the specialty drinks. Downgrading from a $5.25 Salted Caramel Mocha Frappe can save you over $500 a year. That’s a budget vacation, a few Lulu shopping sprees, or an additional 401(k) contribution, all of which last longer than that temporary energy boost.
3. Don’t spend the whole commute on your phone.
Silence turns up the volume on our thoughts, whether good or bad. To distract yourself from your doubts, you retreat to your phone screen. However, you can appreciate your alone time if you don’t spend it agonizing over your outfit or to-do list. Whether you repeat a few affirmations, or plan a fun weekend, this proactive strategy kickstarts a pattern of positivity to continue throughout the day.
4. Go out for lunch with a co-worker.
Swamped with work, you’re settling in for a sad desk lunch when your favorite intern stops by. Panera? Yesterday, you’d have turned her down in favor of a fourth round of editing. But today, you separate from your screen and stretch your legs. Not only do you relax your mind, but you reconnect with one of your office friends. And upon returning to work, your refreshed mind more than makes up for any lost time.
5. Sign up for that stretch project.
Your boss alludes to an assignment in an exotic location. The project’s responsibilities promise intrigue and challenge. You want to ask your boss about travel arrangements and comp time, but you’re questioning your own capabilities instead. What if I can’t handle the responsibility? What if I represent the company badly? What if.
Without the internal confidence necessary to recover from potential setbacks, every risk you take can shatter your personal worth. You have to stop choosing certainty over potential advancement and excitement.
6. Made a mistake? Own it and move on.
Despite your double checks, you missed a glaring typo in a big presentation. Ouch. On another day, it would eat at your esteem. “How could I be so stupid?” you’d ask yourself.
Assured of your abilities, though, you perceive your mistake as an aberration rather than an attack on your self-worth. Divorcing yourself from your ego, you can identify constructive advice among the criticism, apply it to your work, and mobilize your mistake as a learning opportunity.
7. Be more empathetic.
You busted your ass to get that time-sensitive thing to your manager by noon. At 6, though, you’re still waiting on her OK while Happy Hour starts without you. Before you blast your boss for her procrastination, you separate yourself from your emotions to consider her perspective. After all, she probably doesn’t want to be in the office at 6 either.
After we acknowledge and accept our own flaws, we’re more likely to empathize with others. By expecting and tolerations imperfections in others, we not only strengthen our relationships with others but relieve our own anxiety.
8. Maintain your boundaries.
Ironically, your self-confidence also places limits on your empathy. Prioritizing your personal health over pleasing others, you set and stand by your core “non-negotiable” values. So if the unplanned late nights repeat themselves, if your manager doesn’t value your flexibility, if you’re checking work emails on Sunday, you go ahead and update your resume without guilt.
9. After hours, treat yourself.
Second-guessing your day is super exhausting. And after eight hours, we turn to comfy couches and crappy TV for recovery. Alleviating this stress, preserves our energy for other areas of our lives. TREAT YO’ SELF. Sometimes it’s wining and dining a new friend (or just yourself). Sometimes it’s working on your side hustle. And sometimes, it’s just Netflix and Chill.
Instead of wishing your Wednesday away for the weekend, you reconciled your responsibilities with your relationships. Lying in bed that night, you reflect on that impending international trip, lessons learned, and good conversations. And as you drift toward sleep, you anticipate an even better tomorrow. So swipe right on yourself today. After all, self-love has a 100% success rate.
Featured image via Chermiti Mohamed on Unsplash
