As wedding planners, we work hard and pour ourselves into planning and designing weddings. All too often, wedding planners give their time and their energy to their clients and their business, without taking time to recharge and relax. Over time little shortcuts to get more out of the day like getting fast food take-out for dinner, skipping a yoga class or having an extra glass of wine can add up and take a toll on your wellness and mental health. It is important to take care of yourself so you can be your best for your clients.

 Here are six easy self care tips you can start doing today:

1. Meditation is a wonderful way to calm an anxious mind, re-focus and feel refreshed. As little as five minutes a day can make a huge difference in how you feel. Meditation doesn’t have to be structured, planned out or led by a live person. There are apps for your phone (such as Simple Habit, Calm and Headspace) that make it easy to get started and meditate anywhere. Try it before you get out of bed, in the middle of the day when you need a break or at night before going to sleep.
2. Eating well is essential to taking care of yourself. What they say is true, you are what you eat. If you eat heavy and unhealthy foods, you will feel sluggish and unhealthy. Don’t skip meals, even when you are tempted to by a fast approaching wedding date. Be sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your meals. You can cut these all up on Sunday and that will make it easy to grab and snack on during the week. Meal subscription services such as SunBasket and Green Chef make it easy to quickly cook delicious and healthy meals at home, without spending time grocery shopping.
3. Regular exercise has many wellness and physical health benefits. Exercise gets your blood pumping, burns calories, takes your mind off of work, increases your energy during the day and helps you sleep better at night. A bonus of exercising outside in the sun is getting vitamin D from the sun. Even if you can’t squeeze in a full workout every day, a ten minute walk around the block is a great way to get away from your computer, take in fresh air and clear your mind. If you need to exercise inside, check out the free app FitOn for tons of different workouts.
4. A good night of sleep can have a tremendous impact on your day, focus and overall well being. Going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each morning will help you wake up more easily and feel less tired. When you have a good night of sleep you feel ready for the day, are more creative, are more focused and can do your best work for your wedding clients.
5. Journaling is the perfect place to jot down your thoughts for the day, reflect on what brought you joy and be grateful for the big and small things in your life. I’m not talking about a Dear Diary type of journal here. I’m talking about a gratitude journal and acknowledging the positive pieces (big and small) of your day and life. This is very powerful for mental wellness and self-care. Even on days when your clients are freaking out because they have to think about a rain plan, it’s important to reflect on the positive pieces of that day and be thankful. If you don’t know where to start, just write: I am thankful for_______(fill in the blank) over and over. You’ll be surprised how easy it will become to list out what you are grateful for.
6.  Spend time with your friends and family that bring you joy (and skip the ones that don’t). As wedding planners, we are often at our computer for hours alone and work at home. People are social creatures. Interacting with other people helps to stimulate new ideas, build relationships and feel part of a community. Be sure to make time in your schedule to spend with your friends and family that uplift you and make you feel good. Going to dinner or a hike together is a great way to turn off work and spend time together. 

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Lindsey is the go-to marketing and business strategist for wedding planners who want to be fully booked with wonderful clients. She provides doable, focused, action steps based on her many years as a wedding planner. Based in Napa, Calif. she is a Bay Area native with a passion for outdoor adventures and travel. Lindsey’s weddings and expertise are featured on CNN.com, The New York Times, Style Me Pretty, Brides, The Knot Yours Truly book and more. Check out her wedding planner coaching business and get marketing tips for wedding planners on her website lovelydaystrategy.com