It’s not uncommon for high achievers to put their own well-being on the back burner while they prioritize work and other responsibilities.
While this may seem like a reasonable trade-off in the short term, neglecting self-care can lead to decreased productivity and negative impacts on mental and physical health in the long run.
One of the biggest hurdles in maintaining a self-care routine is decision fatigue. When faced with numerous options, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and make subpar choices (or forego them altogether) when it comes to your self-care.
So, how can you make self-care a more seamless process and prioritize healthy habits with ease? Below, we’re exploring how automating your self-care routine can help you avoid decision fatigue and sharing some practical tips to get you started.
How to Eliminate Obstacles to Self–Care
If you haven’t been prioritizing your health and well-being, it’s crucial to understand why. Learning which obstacles have been standing in your way will allow you to break through these obstacles upfront, so you don’t suffer from decision fatigue later.
Here’s a simple four-step process you can use to eliminate obstacles preventing you from prioritizing self-care:
- Identify criteria: Understand which areas in your self-care routine are most important to you or require the most attention. Are you looking for physical, mental, or emotional self-care?
- Make decisions based on those criteria: Once you’ve identified the most important criteria in your self-care routine, use them to make decisions and create a clear path toward success. From there, craft a plan to prioritize self-care and make it a regular part of your routine.
- Follow through on your decisions: Make it official; schedule your self-care activities in your planner or calendar and treat them as you would any appointment.
- Use technology to your advantage: Find a reliable habit tracker or decision-making app to help automate your habits around self-care and eliminate decision fatigue.
13 Ways to Automate Self–Care and Eliminate Decision Fatigue
There is an abundance of ways to avoid decision fatigue around your self-care practices. Here are our top recommendations:
1. Meal Prep
After a tiring day at work, deciding what to have for dinner can feel like an arduous task. Mitigate this by prepping your meals in advance. To make this process even more seamless, you can utilize meal plans available online. With these plans, you won’t have to spend time brainstorming what to eat for the week.
2. Subscribe to a Meal Delivery Service
Enrolling in a meal delivery service can provide you with a convenient strategy for exploring new recipes without having to prepare everything on your own. This approach can be even more time-efficient than meal prepping since many meal delivery services curate the menu for you. By opting for one of these services, you can save valuable time and energy while also diversifying your diet.
3. Work with a Stylist
Feeling confident in your appearance can have numerous positive impacts on your overall well-being, but keeping up with the latest fashion trends or deciding what clothes to buy in a clothing store or online can be a daunting task.
If you frequently struggle with deciding what to wear, delegating the curation of your wardrobe to a professional stylist could be an effective solution.
4. Plan Outfits in Advance
If you struggle with deciding on outfits first thing in the morning, try to plan your outfits in advance. You could start by selecting your outfit for the following day the night before or take it a step further by planning out your outfits for an entire week.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of items in your closet, try to simplify the process by creating a capsule wardrobe to make selecting outfits even easier. By limiting your wardrobe to a few high-quality, versatile pieces you can easily mix and match together, you can effortlessly put together a variety of coordinated outfits.
5. Follow a Morning and Evening Routine
Establishing a routine is an excellent way to minimize the number of decisions you need to make on a daily basis. When certain actions become habitual, you no longer have to expend energy or time making conscious choices about them.
6. Pre-Book Appointments
Book your self-care appointments in advance to avoid forgetting them. Secure a spot in your stylist’s or healthcare provider’s schedule by making your next appointment before leaving the current one. You can also book multiple appointments ahead of time to ensure you establish a consistent schedule without having to think about it later.
Get actionable tips to help you energize and reprioritize self-care. Sign up for The Wellness Return newsletter today.
By providing your email address, you agree to receive email communication from Arootah7. Set Reminders to Take Breaks
Taking breaks is crucial to stay sharp and productive. Set reminders to step away from your desk. To make the most of your breaks, consider establishing a consistent routine. For example, you might choose to do a quick stretch and refill your water bottle. This routine can help you stay focused as you’ll know you have designated times for rest.
8. Set a Wind-Down Alarm at Night
A wind-down alarm lets you know that it’s time to settle down for the evening and prepare your mind and body for sleep. Following a clear bedtime routine allows you to prioritize self-care without having to make decisions late in the day.
9. Automate Bill Paying
Financial self-care is an essential aspect of overall well-being. One way to simplify the process and eliminate the need for making decisions is to set up autopay for your bills. By doing so, you can avoid the hassle of remembering payment due dates or deciding on how much to pay.
If saving money is a challenge for you, you can also consider automating this process by setting a predetermined amount of your pay to be automatically transferred into a savings account.
10. Sign up for Workout Classes in Advance
Automate your self-care with workout subscriptions that keep you committed to exercise. Find a fitness studio you like and consider purchasing a class package. Many studios offer online classes and booking, making it easy to schedule in advance. By booking ahead, you’ll remain accountable to your fitness goals and avoid the stress of daily decision making.
11. Hire a Personal Trainer
If you struggle with your fitness goals or are often uncertain about which workouts to do, consider enlisting the help of a personal trainer. Not only will they provide expertise to help you reach your goals, but you’ll also avoid the frustration and risks of trying to figure out what to do on your own.
12. Sign up for a Vitamin Subscription
Forgetting to reorder vitamins can disrupt your routine and result in gaps in nutrient intake. To avoid this, sign up for an auto-renewal subscription for your supplements. for your supplements. Not only is this convenient, but many subscription services also offer discounts or other benefits, making it a cost-effective option.
13. Work with a Health Coach
If you have a hard time prioritizing your health, consider enlisting a health coach to support you in reaching your goals. Health coaches can offer valuable guidance and empower you to make important decisions about your well-being. By scheduling regular coaching sessions, you’ll remain committed to prioritizing yourself and ensure you have support along the way.
The Bottom Line
By automating your self-care routine, you can take care of your health and well-being without the hassle of making decisions.
Remember, prioritizing your well-being is important for you and those around you. After all, self-care isn’t selfish; it enhances your leadership abilities and unlocks your true potential.
Looking for more guidance in enhancing your health and well-being? Get started with a complimentary call with an Arootah Health Coach to learn how we can support you.