Set Time Aside For Self-Care

By Mark Oden

May 15, 2020

Many of us have so many responsibilities in life that we forget to take care of our personal needs, especially now, more than ever, while we're learning ourselves, our families, and our businesses to help adjust to the new normal. Routines have been disrupted, leaving little to no time to do the things we used to enjoy, like going to the gym or hanging out with friends. This can lead to negative effects on both physical and mental health.

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is a popular term we hear these days, but it often isn't explained. You might not have a clear sense of how you’re supposed to incorporate it into your life or where you can fit in the time to practice or appreciate it. Self-Care is defined as:

• “Care for oneself” – Merriam-Webster

• “Any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.” –Psych Central

Why Self-Care is Important

At BIM Designs, we're a family that prides itself on community and support. And in our family, caring for one another is a value we choose to commit to in everything we do, from the very start. We've come to appreciate that the commitment to care is one that begins with and within each of us and radiates outward to those we engage. Therefore, self-care is one of the most important practices; it involves doing something healthy for yourself; self-love; a deliberate activity that supports your mental, physical and emotional well-being.

We decided to challenge all our employees to take half a workday to practice some form of self-care. Whether it was physical, creative, or reflective, it was about doing something for ourselves. They were asked to post it on Slack, as well as any social media platform, and use the hashtags: #selfcarewithbimdesigns #selfcarefriday

We sincerely appreciate how others contribute to our lives, and this creates a deeper shared bond between us. In turn, this often leads to stronger friendships or a more supportive work relationship with more opportunities to work together and collaborate in the future. We have so much gratitude to every team member for participating and expressing their self-care and sharing their personal lives with us. From biking to hiking to reading and cooking, everyone's messages were so meaningful and impactful. We're so grateful for the family we've built here!

Here is a compilation of our incredible and amazing employees participating in Self-Care:

We'd love to feature you and how you choose to spend time taking care of your mental and physical well-being, in our next blog update. We challenge you to do the same, and to share a picture of yourself doing some form of self-care, whether it's painting, hiking, baking, or riding a bike. Post it on any social media platform and use the hashtags: #selfcarewithbimdesigns #selfcarefriday

Self-Care Ideas

• Bake

• Cook

• Color

• Create a dream board or mood board

• Do a crossword puzzle

• Do some Jumping Jacks

• Do yoga outside (YouTube has TONS of videos to follow)

• Find a hill and Jog/run/do sprints outdoors.

• Get the bikes out and go for a ride

• Go fishing

• Go for a walk 

• Go kayaking

• Go paddle boarding

• Go rollerblading/skating

• Have a little dance party

• Hike a new trail

• Listen to your favorite music

• Meditate (There are apps like Calm, Headspace, and Mindfulness. There are also videos on YouTube you can follow along with)

• Paint

• Picnic Outside

• Plant a garden

• Read a book (maybe by the pool or in a hammock)

• Read comic strips that you enjoy.

• Sew, quilt, or crochet something

• Take board games outside

• Try a new recipe or maybe make your favorite recipe

• Write/Journal

We look forward to reviewing the photos and self-care moments!

Challenge other organizations and those in your network to all practice self-care. Show us and everyone that you're making time to take care of yourself, that you are important to yourself, and that you deserve it!

In the Spirit of Love, Care and Wellness,

-Mark Oden, CEO