The Hit List - 5 self-care practices for workaholics who don’t like asking for help

I’ve been recovering from a horrific cold for almost two weeks. In the previous Hit List, I wrote about how hard it is for me to take time off. Well, this bout of sickness didn’t cut me any slack. I had no choice but to put my work on hold. As of this post, I’m almost caught up.

When you’re a workaholic, self-care is a luxury. Most of the time, you’re better at providing care to others (guilty as charged). You might also find you resist when your loved ones offer to plump up your pillows and bring you chicken noodle soup (guilt of that, too). But if you don’t put your healing first, you risk being ill longer. Which means: your work WILL suffer. YIKES.

Here are a few easy self-care practices for fellow workaholics who have trouble saying yes to help:

1. Delivery services. While I love to run errands, it’s not wise to be out there infecting everyone else. When I’m under the weather, I’ve learned to rely on delivery for everything: tissues, cold meds, pho, wonton soup, and whatnot. While this may not seem like self-care, for workaholics, it is the greatest thing since sticky notes!

2. Read all the books on your ever-growing stack. I love to read. However, I’m sometimes too busy to tackle my bookshelf. Getting ill is the best excuse to curl up with all those books on my “must read” pile. It’s also soothing for my brain!

3. Let someone else cook. If you live with someone, let them take over the kitchen, especially if that’s your domain (it’s mine in this household). Don’t have a loved one other than your cat? Takeout is your BFF. Again: delivery to the rescue! My husband cooked a few meals, and we had Vietnamese and Chinese food delivered to the house. It made me feel pampered.

4. Massage machines. A few years ago, someone purchased a massager for my neck. This thing is GENIUS. Put this thing around your shoulders and let the machine take your tension away! Sure, it’s no substitute for a real massage, but damn, it feels good when you’re sick as a dog!

5. Extra long, extra hot showers. Nothing makes me feel better than an extended period in the hottest shower I can take. I’m usually in a hurry, so my time in the bathroom is fast. But when I’m not feeling great, I give myself permission to hang in that wet heat as long as I can. Serenity now!

Okay, these may seem rather simple, but for workaholics, simple is best. That way, we can conserve our energy for what we really want to do: get back to work.

Theresa

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