If you’ve ever felt bad for taking time out for yourself, stop right now.

Despite some people believing that self-care is selfish or frivolous, we are here to tell you that it is one of the most selfless acts one can engage in. Ultimately, you are the best version of yourself when you are all taken care of, leaving you in a better position to manage your other responsibilities with more productivity and efficiency.

Any person involved in the workforce knows all too well how draining each day can be, not to mention all the extra responsibilities waiting for us at the end of the day, like the long lists of errands that need to be ticked off alongside the houses that still won’t clean themselves. This leaves a demand for you to be your best self and ready to take on whatever life throws at you.

Not only can your personal self-care impact your inner circle, but it actually improves your footprint within your wider community. Without a personalised self-care plan, you risk neglecting your own wellbeing and, in turn, making yourself unavailable for those in your care.

So, without further ado, here are four tips for creating and mastering your own self-care plan:

1. Sleep Until You Are Refreshed

Did you know that humans can survive longer without food than they can without sleep? Not getting enough sleep is detrimental to your mental and physical health and has been linked to weight gain, as well as increased risks for strokes and diabetes. It is recommended that adults get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily, however some may feel refreshed after as little as 6 hours, or as much as 10. Once you find what works for you (and stick to it), we guarantee you’ll feel more energetic, productive and generally happier.

2. Eat For Health, Not For Taste

For most people, a lack of sufficient hours in the day is one of the grandest enemies of a healthy diet. This means, for those who are time-poor, preparation is everything. Aside from the physical health issues of a poor diet, eating high-carb fast foods can cause fatigue, put a strain on the digestive system and can have an adverse effect on mental wellbeing. For those on the go, we suggest ensuring you always have a healthy snack on hand to curb your temptation to reach for fast food. This can mean spending an hour or two each Sunday prepping and freezing your meals for the week ahead, setting you up for success!

3. Work It Out

Being and staying active is a major contributing factor to our overall wellbeing. Don’t worry - we are not suggesting you start running 5km a day or purchase a gym membership you may not even use. Simply, adjusting a few of your daily habits can have a substantial impact. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, take a short walk on your lunch break or choose to walk 15 minutes to your destination instead of jumping on the 5 minute bus ride (despite the convenience). Any activity beyond what you are currently doing, will positively impact your overall health.

4. Take A Break

All breaks, including lunch breaks exist for the sole reason that we, as humans, need them once in a while.

Utilise your advantages to better yourself, which includes taking sick leave when you’re unwell (mentally or physically), because you can’t give what you haven’t got. Without your regular levels of focus, stamina or energy you’re not performing at your best, let alone recovering like you need to. Take a break, meditate and recuperate.

Self-care is not a selfish act. Self-care has a positive impact on wellbeing and should be a priority in order to continue to be the very best you can be for yourself and for those around you.

Anxiety in children is normal, just as it is in adults. Our bodies and minds are constantly stimulated, and just like an adult facing a massive workload, children can become overwhelmed by the world and its ways. Fairly so, considering they haven’t had the chance to experience the ups and downs of life just yet.

In some cases, there is a need to address more serious conditions such as General Anxiety Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism, however in most cases, it's simply a matter of teaching kids how to manage their own anxiety. This can be successfully accomplished through teaching social emotional skills.

So, what are the main factors that cause stress amongst children? We've outlined the most common stress factors in terms of age group below.

Babies become stressed about loud noises, unfamiliar places, incommunicable discomfort, heights, strangers and parental separation.

Pre-schoolers face separation anxiety from their parents, fear of the darkness, as well as frustration due to the inability to communicate, at a time when they are starting to develop their social skills.

Primary-aged children can develop social anxiety early on. Disappointment, the fear of getting in trouble and physical threats are also common stress factors for this age group.

Teenagers arguably experience the highest level of anxiety, considering the multiple changes in their lives; including puberty, identity, sexuality, school workload and the ever-daunting prospect of their futures.

Our experts top 6 tips on: How to reduce anxiety in children

1. Validate their anxiety

Although it may not be the end of the world to you, a child might feel differently when ill-equipped or lacking sufficient experience to cope with a stressful scenario. Dismissing their anxieties can be extremely harmful, as it may cause a sense of shame, and discourage them from sharing these feelings with you in the future. We agree with Silverman and Kurtines (1996) that an absence of early intervention of anxiety is a big price to pay. Our top tip to you is to ensure your child is aware of your support, and to make sure they have a clear plan to resolve similar instances in the future.

2. Strive to be a good role model

Educators and parents tend to avoid allowing kids to see them in an unhappy or stressed state out of fear that it will project those negative feelings upon them, however when that same child starts to develop similar emotions throughout their development, they will never have seen an example of helpful coping mechanisms. This can lead to a belief that they are unable to be resilient. To avoid this happening, make it known to your children or students when and how you deal with anxiety, not only so that they can learn from your wisdom, but also to encourage mutual consideration amongst emotional sensitivity.

3. Encourage them to get out of their comfort zone

Discomfort is an inevitable part of life. One of the best things you can do to prepare your child for the real world is to encourage them to try new things, even if they induce slight anxiety. Of course, we are not saying to force them into traumatic situations, but rather a chance for them to learn something unfamiliar to them. Words of encouragement can go a long way in a new, and possibly scary environment. This teaches kids to persevere and build their own stress management skills.

4. Baby steps

Start with the little stuff. Sometimes a child can only see the enormous black cloud forming above them, but with your help, they can see the tiny drops of water that cloud is made up of. Rather than tackling the whole cloud, encourage the child to tackle each droplet at a time. Each time a small problem is resolved, the overwhelming feeling of anxiety gets increasingly smaller. Try engaging them with their favourite game, physical movement (i.e. a fundamental movement class or a non-competitive sport) or some reading for calm stimulation. Discovering these coping mechanisms will help with anxiety in teen and adult years.

5. Praise the child

Everyone needs positive reinforcement, even adults. Positive reinforcement results in changes in brain chemistry, which can affect long-term behaviours positively. By allowing a child to see that overcoming fear and anxiety is a success and that is deserves celebration, it will build their skills in the management of anxiety in future. By offering encouragement, you will positively be shaping their future in the right direction.

6. Try to avoid using labels

Anxiety can be difficult and debilitating, but labelling a child according to any given condition can be dangerous. It can lead to your child believing that they are their condition, which can inhibit or slow their recovery. Your child is "overcoming anxiety", "managing anxiety" or, in serious cases, "living with anxiety" (as opposed to suffering, which has negative connotations). Your child should not be anchored by something they didn’t ask for but is something they can learn skills to cope with and sometimes avoid.