Taking Care of Your Wellbeing: Creating Guardrails in a Demanding World

In a society increasingly structured around productivity and constant demands, the responsibility to protect our wellbeing has shifted onto us as individuals. Unfortunately, the systems around us rarely prioritize our health or balance.

I hate that for us.

So, until this changes it’s up to us to take proactive steps to create a sustainable and fulfilling life.

Reflecting on my own experiences (and after making a lot of mistakes) I’ve learned a few practical ways to integrate wellbeing into daily life without adding unnecessary stress. Here are my thoughts on being intentional about self-care and managing life’s challenges.

Learning to appreciate limitations

When I moved to Australia nearly 20 years ago, I was struck by how different the pace of life was compared to the U.S. Coming from California, where stores were open late into the night, the limited hours in Australia felt restrictive. Most businesses closed at 5:30 PM on weekdays, even earlier on Saturdays, and hardly anything was open on Sundays. I couldn’t imagine how people managed their errands with such limited time.

However, over time, I adjusted. I began to appreciate the boundaries this lifestyle created. It gave people more time to spend with their families and less pressure to be constantly "on." The idea that shopping or errands could wait started to make sense. This limitation wasn’t restrictive—it was freeing. It taught me that sometimes fewer options can lead to a more balanced, intentional life.

Are there systemic issues with your schedule that need to eventually be addressed?

Sometimes the big problem is the one that is the most difficult to tackle, but it would make the most difference in your quality of life. Perhaps you’re currently lighting the candle at both ends because you want to get your side hustle off the ground. If that’s a short-term arrangement, maybe it will be worth the strife. However, if you’re counting on this as a permanent way of being, you might want to consider how the lack of sleep may impact your health.

For myself, I hadn’t connected the dots at the time, but when I was married I had a lot of health issues that were unexplained. Strangely, as I went through divorce (universally known to be stressful time) my health started to get better and has been improving more with each year. I now believe a lot of my problems were caused by the stress of a situation that was unhealthy for me.

I suppose that’s why I wanted to bring this topic up because I know how frustrating it can be to try and follow self-care advice like ‘meditate 10 minutes every day’ when the truth is you need to get out of a very unhealthy situation. Just like the saying ‘you can’t out-exercise a bad diet’ you can’t out meditate untenable circumstances. Yes, breathing exercises or other stress relievers can help you tread waters during the time you’re living through these difficult circumstances, but I hope you eventually find a way to unburden yourself from those challenges.

Consider removing obligations rather than adding self-care techniques

I’m going to be so real here for a minute. After getting a divorce, I decided that my kids deserved a mother that was present and not always stressed. And for me that means I don’t always have traditional dinners ready, sometimes we just grab a snack plate plus some fruit and call it a day. When I looked at all the household duties like laundry, keeping a tidy place, making sure we’re ready for school each day, I decided proper sit down dinners were the least important part of the household machine. Because of this I have slightly more downtime and I don’t feel guilty at all because I just need that quiet time to be a functioning (not screaming) parent.

Other things that I have decided are not currently part of my life are certain beloved activities like sewing (I’ll take that up again when the kids are grown and I have more time), baking, and home decorating for seasonal holidays. These are things I used to do and enjoyed but they no longer make sense for the life I have now and the limited time resources I have.

Things that I have kept include reading, watching favorite and new TV shows, connecting with friends and going to the gym. These all add something meaningful to my wellbeing so I’ve decided to continue investing my time in these activities.

Gently adding self-care to your routine

I have a rule when it comes to self-care that if it starts to become a stressor to keep up with the schedule of it, it’s probably too much in this moment. There are times when meditation is something I’m naturally drawn to, other times I couldn’t stick to a routine. I’ve found the best habits are ones that fit naturally into whatever I’m already doing or ones that are so important that you’re willing to go out of your way to accommodate them. My top example of this is a proper sleep schedule. In the hierarchy of things that I do to keep well, sleep is just about the highest priority. This means, I WILL unapologetically and purposefully skip a morning workout if my body feels like it’s not properly rested. I’ve learned this is what my body needs.

And while we’re on the topic of skipping workouts, I’m not talking about ‘I don’t feel like it’ I mean that I am still physically exhausted and will not gain anything from activity because my body is already overly stressed due to lack of rest. Having that discernment of when skipping a workout would be more effective vs. having an all or nothing attitude is a huge skill to develop. The latter I’ve personally found to be a direct path toward ignoring my own body’s signals which is not a great habit for me to build.

What I would do in the situation if I missed a couple of workouts in a row is to make sure I absolutely slept early so I could wake rested the next day. This might mean forgoing watching my favorite tv show at night and that’s what’s got to happen.

Protecting your wellbeing in a distracting world

We live in a time where distractions are endless—entertainment, work demands, fast food, and other conveniences often take precedence over quiet, restorative activities. If we’re not careful, these distractions can consume our time and leave us feeling drained.

Building wellbeing into your routine requires intentionality. This could mean scheduling rest, setting boundaries around work, or cutting back on activities that don’t add value to your life. It’s about finding a rhythm that works for you and creating “stop-gap” measures to protect your mental and physical health.

The takeaway

Taking care of your wellbeing isn’t always about adding more self-care techniques—it’s often about simplifying and prioritizing. Identify the systemic issues that might be draining you, let go of obligations that aren’t serving you, and make space for habits that truly support your health.

In a world that rarely prioritizes balance, it’s up to us to create the guardrails that keep us steady. With intention and practice, it’s possible to build a life that nurtures both your body and mind.