Simple Self Care for Social Distancing
Self care has never been more important. There’s no doubt that we are experiencing big changes in our lives, ones that will influence everyone on our planet. While you may not be able to organize tea parties or attend afternoon teas for the next few weeks or month, tea can still stay an important part of your life and become a foundation of your self care routine.
What is self care?
For some self care is an important part of everyday life, whilst for the others it may sound like an exaggerated term created to follow the latest trends. In reality, we all need to practice self care. It’s not only about rewarding yourself with beauty treatments, or eating healthy food and exercising. There are many ways to practice self care. In fact, self-care can be divided into emotional, social, physical, intellectual, spiritual and environmental self care[1]. To keep both your body and mind healthy and happy, it’s important to pay attention to them all. Tea may help.Choose the right tea - physical self care
Try choosing tea depending on the time or day or even just for potential benefits. For example, if you want to relax but need an energy boost, Jasmine green tea could be a great choice. It has enough caffeine to give you a slight energy boost, L-theanine to promote calmness and jasmine flowers that may also help with increasing the level of well-being[3]. Another great tea is Green Earl Grey tea, infused with bergamot oil that may help to relax and reduce anxiety. Black tea may help increase alertness and herbal teas may help you fall asleep more easily. They usually contain no caffeine and are perfect for an evening tea time. Teas like pu’erh may help with boosting metabolism, and some like oolong tea may be more beneficial for weight loss goals. Tea will help you feel hydrated too and is a healthy alternative to sugary drinks.Declutter - environmental self-care
Now when we need to stay at home for most of our time, having a tidy and clean space is more important than ever. Clutter creates chaos, and not only in the surrounding space. Studies showed that decluttering may help to reduce stress and to increase focus and concentration[4]. Turn one corner of your house or a room into a tea corner and always keep it clean and tidy. You can have your tea utensils and tea ware all laid out on the table, for when you need to use it. Always wash your teaware right after use. Clean your tea cabinet and sort the teas you have.Share the tea - emotional self care
Once you have sorted them out, you may have teas you love so much you would like to share them with others. Or those that are not really your cup of tea, but could find a loving home with some of your friends or family members. You can order tea for someone too, or send gift cards to those that you know would appreciate or need it the most. Helping other be happy is an important part of an emotional self care.Have phone tea party - social self care
Although the rules of social distancing may not allow you to have friends over for a tea party, you can still enjoy tea with your friends over the phone or a video call. If you are living with your family, make a small family tea party a weekly (or even daily!) habit.Make it a habit - internal self care
Drinking tea is one of the best habits you could have for your internal self care. Dedicate 15-30 minutes a day for you and tea only. Allow yourself not to think about problems or feel any negative emotions. Feelings of angriness, hate, distress or any negative emotion were never a part of any tea ceremony in the world. Instead of focusing on your worries, focus on tea completely. Pay attention to water temperatures, look at the leaves, enjoy the scent and every sip you take.Learn about tea - intellectual self care
Keep your mind active by learning about tea. The world of tea is full of interesting facts and information. Invest in some tea books or read tea blogs that you find interesting. Not only will you deepen your tea knowledge, you will also get an insight into other cultures.Take time for tea - spiritual self care
Try incorporating tea meditation into your daily life. Learning how to breathe properly may help relieve anxiety[5], sharpen your mind[6] and increase performance[7]. This may prove especially valuable if you find work from home difficult because many distractions that you don’t usually encounter in the office.Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It’s not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every person is different and may react to different herbs and teas differently. Never use teas or herbs to treat serious medical conditions on your own. Always seek professional medical advice before choosing home remedies.
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