Britney Spears is taking 'me time': Here are 7 tips for self-care when you need it
Britney Spears is in the headlines after stepping away from her Las Vegas residency and posting on Instagram about taking “me time.”
Spears, 37, is taking crucial "me time" now to make sure she's focused, while also helping her father through his serious health issues, ABC News has learned.
The singer's decision to step away from the spotlight — during an apparent time of stress in her life — comes as we are all bombarded with the buzzword of self-care and reminders to take care of ourselves in this 24-7 world.
While Spears, a mother of two, is in a position to be able to take time off from work, self-care is something everyone can, and should do every day, experts say.
"I think there’s a perception of self-care as sort of elitist and that there’s some sort of selfishness to it," said Vaile Wright, a licensed psychologist and director of research and special projects at the American Psychological Association (APA). "But think of it in 10 minute blocks and 15 minute blocks and think about it as what rejuvenates you as a person."
With that in mind, here are seven tips for making sure self-care happens in your life.
1. Recognize when you need a minute
Stress can show up differently for different people, so pay attention to the signs, whether they're emotional or physical.
Physical signs of stress may include headaches, fatigue and stomach issues, according to Wright. Emotional signs that you need to give yourself space may include becoming irritable or tearful more often or feeling full of anxiety, with thoughts racing through your head that you're not able to shut down.
Struggling to work or take care of yourself or your family or to get through your daily life are signs that you need professional help beyond your own self-care, Wright explained.
2. Think of taste, sight, touch, smell and sound
Putting on a favorite lotion, smelling a favorite scent, listening to music and taking a hot shower are all good self-care techniques because they touch on the five senses.
"The senses have a grounding effect," Wright said. "They have the effect of you pulling you out of your head when you focus on them."
3. Keep a list of what makes you happy
The first step in doing things that make you feel good is to identify what makes you happy. Make a list and keep it on hand, recommends Lauren Berger, CEO and founder of CareerQueen.com and InternQueen.com and author of “Get It Together."
"Use that list to have them and implement them when you need them," Berger told "GMA" last year. "And, every once in a while, contributing new things to that list can really be helpful."
She added, "I keep a 'happy page' in my notebook and I continually write things down that make me happy –- went to fro-yo, put on a comfy sweater, watched reality TV."
4. Set boundaries
Setting boundaries in your personal and professional life is a critical part of self-care, according to Berger.
"You can tell someone, 'Please don’t text me before 9 a.m., between these hours I need to be with my child and you’re not going to hear back from me,'" she said. "Push yourself out of your comfort zone to set boundaries."
You can also set your own boundaries to know when you need self-care, for example, saying to yourself, "I’m overwhelmed, now is when I need to implement a self-care technique."
5. Remember sleep, diet, movement
Wright calls eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep and being active the "trifecta" of self-care.
"When you have those core things in place, it’s so much easier to deal with the stressors that come into our life," she said.
6. Start and end the day with something about you
This is a simple idea so don't make it too complex. Simply do something when you wake up and before you go to sleep that makes you happy, whether it's reading or meditating or talking with a loved one.
"Use the beginning and end of your day to really reflect on yourself and doing something that you enjoy, something that is not social media and you looking at other people’s lives," said Berger.
7. Center self-care around a meal
You have to eat, so use those times of the day when you are fueling your body to also fuel your happiness.
Sit down at a table instead of eating in a rush or on-the-go, take time to prepare your favorite foods or set a nice table setting, even if it's just for yourself.
Those tiny moments can be all about you.
