Like many people, when I think of 'self-care', I imagine a beautiful pool in a fancy resort where I can float, relax and recover. But most of us don't have the money or time for such treats. Instead, to take care of ourselves we can simply rest: rest from work, from family stresses or from our daily tasks. And the best part is we can do that while not spending any money.

Our world values money, professional and personal success, and showing others how good we are, for instance on social media. Try turning your phone off for a day, taking a walk, reading a book, listening to music that makes you feel good (or maybe makes you want to dance), writing in a journal about your thoughts, fears and hopes, or simply sleeping and napping. All of those activities are great for recharging your batteries.

Try not to feel bad about taking a rest (from social media and your 'to do' list), but invest time in your most important resource - yourself. You will be glad you did and you will be able to do much more if you still have a lot to do after your rest. One way I do this is I block 'rest' times in my busy calendar. It might be only a few hours a week, but I try to give this need a priority similar to my other 'jobs'.

I know it is not easy, but these are things I am trying to do better and I hope you can benefit from them, as well.

If you want to chat about your rest and work life, why not book a lesson with me? I offer English conversation lessons about a variety of topics, including culture, travel, romance and book discussions. I'd love to see you there!