Deb Garske is the founder of 5* luxury guest house 28 Degrees, Byron Bay with the ethos of slowing down and rejuvenating.
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What does self-care mean to you?
Self-care means to take care of myself to be able to achieve what I want in life.
It’s not always easy to put yourself first being a mother and business owner and wife, so it’s very important to slot time in for myself to escape the daily routine. I sometimes hide in places that no one would think to find me.
How do you know when you’re feeling stressed or burnt out?
I know when I’m feeling burnt out when I don’t sleep well or can’t eat certain foods without it affecting me. I don’t want to exercise and want to sleep instead.
Do you have a regular self-care routine? If so, what does it look like?
I now do meditation every morning before I get out of bed. It is not negotiable!!! I try to do another session in the afternoon before dinner time, homework, and catching up on emails starts but it is not always possible with my type of work.
I go to the gym 3 times a week and or walk the lighthouse 3 times a week first thing, otherwise work will start, and I don’t get a chance to do anything else. I sit and have a cup of tea and have breakfast before I get ready for the day. I drink lots of water and no sugar or gluten at all in my diet. I feel less foggy in my brain and I am able to achieve a lot more with a clear head.
What bumps you off your self-care routine and how do you get back on course?
Sometimes if I don’t sleep well, I don’t go to the gym, as I feel sleep may be more important on that day. If it is raining I want to sleep in and have a slow start to the day. I find it really hard to work out after 10am when everything gets busy with working life. I think I am lazy by nature, so I don’t want to exercise so I must just go and then I feel great!
Where do you go for inspiration, ideas, or tools for self-care?
For inspiration for self-care I look at older people that inspire me with so much zest for life, who have a happy, kind outlook on life and want to have the energy they have when I am older, so I make sure I put a plan together to achieve that look and feeling. I don’t drink or smoke (yes I know it’s very boring), but I love eating well and sleeping well. I love being at home with my family, so I don’t need external things to make me feel good.
What do you think you need to improve in terms of your self-care practice?
I think we all achieve so much these days, that I don’t think I need to improve. I would much rather say I add more to my routine each month that I want to do. If we keep saying “I need to improve” then it sounds like a negative connotation to yourself. Instead I say to myself “I can now add more value to my life if I do this and that.”
Before you go…
Self-Care is a content 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.