Nina Patrick’s Self-Care Routine: “I have the thought that I can reduce my stress by working more.”

Nina Patrick is the co-founder and CEO of MiProbes Biotechnologies, a health-tech startup developing diagnostics that allow instant at-home health tracking and optimization.

What does self-care mean to you?

Self-care is a flexible thing. It means that I am taking the steps I need to be happy, healthy and rested, and this can change depending on what’s going on in my life. Recently self-care to me has also included being consciously kind to myself, and being mindful that I am doing the best I can.

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

The biggest indicator is that I have the thought that I can reduce my stress by working more. I think one of the worst thoughts I have is “if I finish all of these things, I will feel better.” The truth is that once I finish one task, I have many more things behind it, and I end up feeling more stressed out than before.

My cure for this is just do the one highest priority thing, and leave all the rest, and then take a break.

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

The standard core things I need to feel like I’m taking care of myself is to exercise 2 to 4 times a week, get 7 hours of sleep and eat healthy meals. I also mute notifications on my phone after 10pm and don’t let them start again until 8am everyday.

On Sundays, I do my best to relax (easy to do in Germany – all the shops are closed which makes running errands impossible!) by having a slow brunch with friends, taking a long walk or reading a book at home.

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

Travel. Although travel can be a part of self-care, like when you go on vacation to relax. However, it can also throw me out of my rhythm and routine. It usually takes me a week or so after a trip to get enough rest to feel energised to get back into my exercise routine and feeling productive again.

Alcohol. Drinking any amount of alcohol ruins my sleep and it usually takes me several days to get back to feeling rested.

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.