Anthea Stevanovic is the Director at Intelligent Directions, a consultancy that helps businesses improve by focusing on three key elements – Business Efficiency, Business Strategy and Business Growth.

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What does self-care mean to you? 

For me self care includes everything that you do to look after your mind, body and spirit. It starts with the food I fuel my body with (I believe everything you put in your mouth is either aiding disease or helping to cure it) and goes to things like physical activity, meditation, coaching, energy healing, reading mainly around self help and healing.

How do you know when you’re feeling stressed or burnt out? 

In the last few years I’ve learned to really listen to my body, it gives me the signs and I have to adjust to what it needs. Unfortunately now my body also stops functioning so I have a very big sign that I need to stop.

Do you have a regular self-care routine? If so, what does it look like? 

Yes I do, mine includes eating really well (organic whole foods) nothing processed or packaged. Resting as much as my body needs (I had a major health episode last year and am still recovering, I was paralysed from the neck down).

Chiropractic care three times a week, neurological rehab once a week, moving my body as much as it will allow, energy healing sessions every fortnight, reading, meditating, magnesium and essential oil baths, walks at the beach, getting as much sun as I can. I don’t do everything all the time but listen to my body and do what I need when I need to.

What bumps you off your self-care routine and how do you get back on course? 

There are certain things that I won’t compromise on, like my way of eating so nothing bumps me off that but with my other practices it’s definitely time. It’s a balancing act between getting the things done that I must do and then also doing my self care practices.

To get back on I just try to incorporate what I need when I need it, I try not to have a strict routine in some ways and just do what my body is calling for at that particular time.

Where do you go for inspiration, ideas or tools for self-care? 

I’ve been researching health and wellness for nearly 10 years now. I tend to read a lot of books and articles.

What do you think you need to improve in terms of your self-care practice? 

Being stricter with not pushing past my limitations. I have several chronic health conditions and don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have to push myself, this is no longer an option for me so I must stop otherwise my body will shut down on me.

Before you go…

Self-Care is our new interview series exploring the different self-care routines and habits of people from all walks of life. Get in touch with us today if you’d like to talk about your self-care routine.