We all love a hot bath and skin boosting mask, but self-care goes beyond that. Women are resilient and strong but often neglect their own self-care because of social and cultural expectations. A good relationship with yourself improves your relationship with others. There are no quick fixes, so take the time to find what’s right for you.

OFFERING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON SELF-CARE & TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF.

Nikkita talks about managing external pressure and reinvesting in yourself. How to balance day to day life, career and motherhood but setting boundaries without adding to commonly felt guilt.

THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION AND WHY WOMEN MIGHT BENEFIT GREATER.

Not enough hours in a day? Although making time for meditation may be the last thing on your mind, it has been proven to have many advantages. Dealing with stress, a good night’s sleep and better self-esteem are already short-term effects that you can experience from even the shortest of meditations and there is no doubt in the long run it is even more worth your investment of time. Hear us out.

A comparative study took place during a 12-week mindfulness course that featured 30 minutes of meditation three times per week to identify the effects on both men and women. It showed a greater decrease in negative emotions such as guilt, irritability and sadness plus a greater increase in mindfulness and self-compassion in women. Moreover, the effect for women, correlated with improvements in mindfulness and self-compassion. This was not the case for men, changes were instead correlated with an increased ability to identify, describe, and differentiate one’s emotions. Regardless of the results, it certainly doesn’t mean mindful mediation isn’t beneficial for men.

Meditation provides a lower number of cytokines, which reduces the risk of inflammation-related conditions. According to a study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, intensive meditation training dramatically improves concentration. The study is based on the Shamata project that looked at the cognitive, psychological and biological effects of meditation over the course of a few years. Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to sign up to years of meditation here, not even a full day. We’re suggesting a bitesize moment of peace, even if only five minutes, to wind down - it will have a mind-bogglingly positive effect on your body and soul. Namaste.

If you’re still not sold check out these scientifically proven benefits for finding time out for meditation.
• Profound stress reduction
• Anxiety control
• Enhances self-awareness and emotional wellbeing
• Improves a maintained attention span
• Reduced memory loss
• May help fight addictions
• Improves sleep
• Pain control
• Decreased blood pressure

A PPG CHALLENGE:
Write in one sentence what you find a beautiful characteristic of yourself on a card or in a journal. Read it out loud at least once per day for 21 days in a row or find at least 5 - 10 minutes to use Headspace or Calm App every day in March.

KEEPING CONNECTIONS: FIGHT THE “FRIENDSHIP FADE”

Feeling that formally tight connections are fizzling out as the novelty of zoom drinks fade? With the lack of much new to chat about and without stating the obvious in that we can’t hang out to nurture the bond as usual it can feel duller than ever for even the most sociable of us. Here are some tips from us to keep the relationship with your friends in check:

• YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ON YOUR A-GAME TO CHAT
We set a standard for ourselves about how we should behave with friends, if we’re not confident we’ll hit that level it’s tempting to swerve the interaction altogether. Try to avoid rescheduling a call from an imagined negative outcome, while you might not be ‘in the mood’ the other person might benefit greatly from hearing a friendly voice. You’ll almost certainly feel better for some conversation too so answer the phone.

• SCHEDULE SOCIALS
Set calendar dates for catch-up calls with relatives or friends, plan in walk dates and schedule some park workouts with a friend. If you’re doing it anyway you might as well have some company!

• AVOID WHATSAPP ARGUMENTS
It is far too easy to be misinterpreted over WhatsApp, you can’t read tone over text so it’s easy to sound harsh even when least intended. If a disagreement comes up, head to safer territory and pick up the phone.

• MAKE AN EFFORT
Surprise and thought resonates with people, consider creative ways to harness the sense of friendship, make brunch or send some flowers. It also gives you the feel-good-factor as you anticipate how great they'll feel receiving it.

• KEEP IT COOL
Bear in mind that many are struggling to navigate these shaky times. Many of us are operating on a short fuse since everything has changed and we lack certainty in many areas of our life. If a friend seems snappy or withdrawn, don’t take it personally without addressing it over the phone or in-person and cut them some slack #inthistogether.

• BOUNDARIES
We're all navigating this 'new normal' and a lot of us are feeling emotional. With a lack of human interaction, it’s common for people to seem ‘over-chatty’ over Whatsapp. Remember it is not your duty to always immediately reply and if it gets too much politely address that you’re slowing down your digital time (and maybe so should they!)

OUR ‘UNWIND’ RECOMMENDATIONS

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