Nurture yourself

Take time out
While all of this advice sounds great in theory, you're probably thinking, 'If I'm already stressed out, how can adding more activity to my daily routine help me feel relaxed?' It's easy to fall into the mindset that you don't have time for self-nurturing, but Kennedy says, if it's important enough, you'll make the time. 'You can tell yourself, "I'm going to get the kids and my husband up at 6:30am, feed them and get them dressed and off to school". Or you can say, "You know what, I'm going to get up at 6am and give myself a half an hour to get my cardio workout in. I'm going to have more energy for my kids, I'm going to be in a better mood, I'm not going to be sluggish and I'll have my workout out of the way"'.

Kathy Kaehler, author of Real-World Fitness, agrees that adding physical activity to your day will probably make things less chaotic. 'You'll be less stressed, more controlled, more energised - and you'll still be able to make all of your responsibilities work', she says. 'A woman who takes care of herself is a lot more organised and a better time manager than a woman who doesn't'.

Get the key to self-esteem
Taking time for you also translates to better self-esteem, says George. 'Having private time and taking care of yourself demonstrates that you really care about yourself'. Kennedy agrees, stressing the particularly strong connection between self-esteem and exercise. 'Working out is an excellent way of building self-esteem because you're actually taking control of caring for your body', she says. 'It really makes you feel good to do something positive for yourself'.

Take-care-of-you tips
Convinced? Good. If you still need a little nudge in the right direction, here are some of our experts' favourite ideas for food-free, feel-good activities:

• Exercise, exercise, exercise
• Curl up with a good book
• Try aromatherapy
• Get a massage
• Meditate
• Visit a day spa
• Relax in a hot bath
• Treat yourself to a facial or manicure
• Shop till you drop
• Stroll along the beach

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