Do you find yourself forgetting to take care of YOUR own health needs? This self care checklist is a great tool… and the perfect way to be sure that you're taking care of yourself as well as those around you!

This blog post is sponsored by VSP Vision Care, the leading provider in vision care and coverage,providing access to care for nearly 90 million members. Visit SeeMuchMore.com, or talk to your employer to enroll with VSP this open enrollment season.

Let's be honest, between the rush of back to school and the gearing up for the holidays……I think we all feel like the lazy days of summer are over and that our responsibilities are back in full swing. I don't know about you, but it took me a minute to get my rhythm back once Lydia started school a couple weeks ago. While I was getting her prepared and ready each day, I found that it was ME who I was forgetting to take care of. From getting daily exercise to eating  MY meals to being sure I got enough sleep……my own health needs were being a bit ignored.  And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. Sound familiar?

Self Care Checklist: What Women Forget

I put together a simple self care checklist, that has really helped me be sure that I'm taking care of my own health needs. I hope it's helpful to YOU too!

On my self care checklist:

• Get Enough Sleep: obviously everyone has different sleep needs. For me? I know I don't function well unless I get AT LEAST 7-8 hours of sleep (8 is better).  It may be because of my thyroid condition, but I know sleep needs to be a priority for me. And yes, that means going to bed at a reasonable hour.
• Water / Stay Hydrated: I'm a coffee addict. And I know that I tend to drink coffee before water. Lately? I've been making an effort to fill up my 30 ounce water bottle twice a day and to FINISH it. It's amazing how much better I feel after just a few days of staying hydrated.
• Eat Balanced Meals: I spend a lot of time making sure that Lydia has great lunches and breakfasts for school each day, and I found that I wasn't eating breakfast myself. By the time I got home from dropping her off most mornings, I was starving and didn't feel well. And really? It wasn't that difficult….I just needed to eat my OWN breakfast when Lydia ate hers.
• Exercise: During the summer, Robbie and I were both off of school / work and it was easy to go running the mornings at whatever time I wanted. Well, now that we're back to real life and a routine, that's not as easy. I've found that for me?  The best time to exercise is in the morning before Lydia wakes up. I get up at 6 am and work out, THEN get her ready for school. It starts my day off on the right foot, and it's the only way to be SURE I get a workout in. Some days it's a run, some days a walk, or a workout video at home. But I always do SOMETHING active.
•  Take Your Medication / Vitamins as Recommended: Be sure to set an alarm for all prescriptions and vitamins. I mean, you're supposed to take them for a reason, right?
• Schedule Your Annual Eye Exam: I'm not gonna lie, this one tends to be on the back burner for me. But as we get older, our eyes can definitely change from year to year and it's important to keep up with regular vision exams. Did you know that 8 in 10 people rate vision as the most important sense, and nearly everyone agrees that having healthy eyes is important, but only half of people get annual eye exams? Also more than two-thirds of parents worry about their children’s eye health more than their own, but only 12 percent of parents know children should receive their first eye exam at six months old. VSP Vision Care is an amazing way to be sure that everyone in your family receives their vision exams, and right now? It's open enrollment season. This is the perfect time of year to review changes in your plan such as premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and network coverage and to be sure to opt in if you haven't.
• Brings You Joy: Do one thing that brings you joy each and every day. A call with a friend, a hike, a good book…….spend at least 20 minutes doing one thing just for you. It makes a world of difference.