Many individuals today feel that there is no time for self-care. Some are caring for multiple generations of family, working at a demanding job, and participating in community or church activities. This may seem to require all your time and energy. While attempting to meet the needs of so many others, you may have put your own needs at the bottom of the list.

But making personal time and taking care of yourself are important for emotional and physical well-being, especially when you feel responsible for others. When you take care of yourself, you are not being selfish, but are helping yourself to be able to care for those who depend on you. Neglecting your own physical or emotional health can lead to stress or burnout.

Taking care of yourself includes physical self-care, maintaining a social or support network and taking time for relaxation. Amy Griswold, Extension Educator in family life gives these suggestions:

Physical self-care means you should eat a nutritious diet, exercise regularly and get enough rest. It also means that you should not put off your own doctor's appointments and check ups. It is important to maintain your physical health so you will have the health and energy needed to care for your family.

Maintaining friendships may be difficult when you are busy but you will benefit from those social contacts and the support they provide. Make an effort to maintain relationships that are important to you. Having someone you can talk to can be very helpful when you are feeling stressed.

Taking time for leisure or relaxation may be difficult. It may seem like a low priority when there are so many demands on your time. But it is important for your well-being and managing your stress. Just a few minutes a day doing something you enjoy can refresh you. If you have trouble finding time for leisure, schedule it in. Otherwise you may never get around to it.

If you think you don't have time to do these things, try these tips for managing time:

· Make a plan according to your priorities. Plan what you want to accomplish today, this week, or in a month. Break big jobs into smaller tasks.

· Use a to-do list. Write down your goals for the day and prioritize according to things that absolutely must be done, things you would like to do and those tasks that really don't need to be done today. Start with the most important task and mark off each task as it is accomplished.

· Delegate tasks. You do not have to do everything yourself. Give some tasks to other family members, including children. Be sure to explain what is expected and make tasks age appropriate.

· Learn to say no. Think about your priorities and eliminate those tasks that are low priority time users.

Think about what you can do to start taking care of yourself. Make a personal plan to work on this by starting small and practicing self care. You will be glad you did and others will see a change for the better.