My Favorite Self-Care Activities: Part 1 of 3

To keep a well-rounded life and good routine going for maintaining my stability with bipolar, I implement a variety of self-care activities. In this 3-post series I will start with the first 3 self-care activities that help keep me from sliding back into an episode.

Getting enough sleep.

This may very well be the *secret* to my success of keeping my mania or depression at bay (aside from my medications). If the fact that I get at least 9 hours of sleep (yes, NINE) every night correlates with the fact that I haven’t had an episode in the last 8 years means anything, I love to sleep. I’ll even take a 30 minute to 2 hour nap during the day if my schedule allows. Good sleep hygiene means I am in bed by 9 PM most nights, asleep shortly thereafter and waking up between 6 and 8 AM. This may seem long for others, but I have such a hard time staying up past 10 PM and functioning the next day if my sleep is less than 8 hours.

Keeping a regular quiet time.

After my morning cup of creamer with coffee ? I will spend about 10 -20 minutes journaling at my desk. I journal my prayers to my Heavenly Father, praising Him, thanking Him for getting me up that day, and writing him my requests. I will often ask Him to speak clearly through His word in that prayer entry, and then open my Bible app or Bible and read a portion of scripture. It may be a chapter or book of the Bible I haven’t been in, and sometimes I roam the Bible day to day. But I take note of what He’s saying. I’ll also occasionally write out a message to me from my Heavenly Father, particularly listening to the Holy Spirit speak to me in my heart, and transcribe what He is saying to me specifically. Those are moments I make sure what He seems to be saying lines up with scripture, is encouraging, and is truth.

Having a structured daily schedule.

My life is fairly structured, and to keep my life in order, I have a 12 month scheduler that I started to use in case management. It keeps my day in 15-minute increments. Ordering my daily activities is a great way to stay on task and get things done. When I’m done with that task, I can check it and mark it completed (that feels good!). I also always write in a mechanical pencil that way I can erase if it changes, and can slip the pencil into the spiral binding to store it. I carry a Moleskine-type planner around in my purse as well, just so I don’t have to lug the large planner with me.

Looking forward to sharing the next set of my favorite self-care activities with you on Friday!!

Stay brave and bold,

Katie