Life feels incredibly busy, doesn’t it? And many of us compound the issue because we cram too much in, fearful of missing out on opportunities. But then we never stop and take the time out needed to regenerate. Eventually, stress and burn-out kicks in and everything goes downhill. So, why do we feel guilty about taking time out for ourselves? And why do we prioritise doing other things above our own self-care?

We’re all au fait with mum guilt and work guilt but feeling guilty for spending time on self-care? That can manifest in different ways from putting it off, to regretting taking the time out or having that constant, nagging inner voice, reminding you of all the other things you’re missing out on. All in all, it means that you don’t enjoy the time you’ve allocated for self-care and usually end up resenting it.

At the end of the day, it’s a common problem though, so don’t beat yourself up about it. One thing is certain however, you need to ditch that guilt.

What is Self-Care?

Defining self-care is a crucial step in the process. In fact, it’s about taking action that preserves one’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. It’s not about being indulgent which is how many people view it. Whilst it’s true that self-care has the end-result of enhancing your lifestyle and improving mood, mindset, and physical health, it’s not necessarily about doing things that make you feel good instantly. So, it shouldn’t be confused with eating cake. Makes you feel good but isn’t healthy!

So first up, you need to get out of the mindset that giving yourself self-care is being indulgent. It’s not! It’s a necessity and the practise of self-care is about allowing yourself the time to grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. That can mean different things to different people.

Often, we believe that self-care involves a complicated ritual, large amount of time or monetary expense though. It’s usually much simpler than that. A ten-minute walk at lunchtime, catching up with a best friend or a chamomile tea at bedtime. These all count too.

Why Do We Feel Guilty About Self-Care?

One of the biggest problems is that we associate the time allocated to self-care with a cost elsewhere, as if we’re losing out on something. It’s because we’re constantly applying a cost-benefit analysis to everything we do and focusing on the fact that everything we do is at the expense of something else. In the end, you often just feel too busy to have time for yourself.

Think about the bigger picture. If you take care of your mind and body, it means that you’re so much more well equipped for life. You can achieve more, improve relationships, and create an abundance of wealth in your life and we’re not just talking about monetary wealth either. There are so many benefits to applying self-care that these more than outweigh doing the ‘something else’.

Another factor is the ever-growing to-do list. Too many of us view self-care as a chore and so as other things get added, it gets pushed further down. If that sounds familiar, it’s time to reframe self-care. It isn’t a chore and it’s not about ‘doing things’. A great way to counteract this is to build self-care into your life so that it becomes part of your daily routine and lifestyle. That way it happens automatically and doesn’t even factor into the ‘to do’ list.

How to Not Feel Guilty for Taking Time out for Yourself

So how do we prioritise wellbeing? An easy way to help ease the guilt of self-care is by allocating some time every day, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. That way, you’re more likely to do it plus the more often you do it, the more ingrained it becomes, like building any habit.

The ancient, holistic healing treatment of aromatherapy is another great way to build self-care into your daily life and whilst it might seem like you’re doing something relatively insignificant, it can make a huge difference. That’s because premium, therapeutic grade essential oils support the rapid transition from one mood or mindset to another. So, if you’re feeling anxious about something, the right combination of essential oils can help you feel calmer. Likewise, if you find it hard to sleep, the perfect aromatherapy blend will help to relax the muscles and slow the mind.

The Scentered Escape Aromatherapy Blend is ideal when you want to make that mental shift from work and chores to self-care time. Once you inhale the powerful, evocative aromatherapy scent, you’re immediately transported away from your daily stresses. 

So, what makes this one so effective? Well, Oud is in there for its mind-clearing properties. Sandalwood helps strengthen the mind-set and is highly beneficial for yoga and meditation practice.  Then there’s wonderfully grounding Frankincense which completes the potent trio and helps rebalance the mind, body, and spirit.  

We would love to hear about your mental wellness journey. You can also keep in touch via our Instagram @iamscentered or sign up to our newsletter for updates, news and offers.