The “Oxygen Mask Theory” - How to Take Care of Yourself

With everything that is going on in the world right now, it can seem overwhelming. Your baseline levels of stress may be higher than ever, and on some days, it can feel like we are doing everything we can to just get through the day.

Taking care of ourselves can sometimes fall off our schedules entirely. And for some, self-care brings up feelings of guilt and added stress. While we are so busy taking care of everyone else, it is more important than ever to remember that in order to take care of everyone else, we need to first take care of ourselves.

The Oxygen Mask Theory

If you have ever flown on a commercial airplane, you have heard the flight attendants give the safety speech. They demonstrate how to fasten your seat belt, how to exit the plane safely, and how your seat cushion doubles as a flotation device. They tell you that in the event of an emergency, an oxygen mask may drop down from above your head. They make a point of telling you to put your own oxygen mask on first, before attempting to help anyone else.

The logic behind this is simple: If you don’t make sure that you are okay first,  you aren’t able to help anyone else. And - if you don’t make sure that you are okay, you will need those people to take care of you.

The Oxygen Mask Theory applies to everyday life on the ground as well. When we don’t take the time to take care of ourselves, we fall victim to the effects of fatigue, illness, stress, and mood swings. All of these things prevent us from being able to meet our everyday responsibilities, and can even remove us from the Caregiver role entirely.

Some of you might be thinking that you’ve heard all this before, and you still have no idea how to fit this self-care stuff into your life, especially now. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated or take up a lot of time. I’ll share some easy to use things you can do in the moment to bring your stress levels down and take care of yourself.

Just Breathe

My go-to stress reduction technique is abdominal breathing. It is simple and easy, and it really works. Abdominal breathing triggers the vagus nerve and turns off your body’s stress response.

Get Your  Guide to Abdominal Breathing here.

Reclaim Your Routine

In our new work-from-home homeschooling, physical distancing world it can seem like we’ve lost the routines and structure we rely on to keep us moving forward. If you are struggling with a lock of routine in your life or if you feel like your motivation needs a boost, here’s an easy way to keep up your momentum.

Set aside a few minutes each morning to plan out your day. Take about five minutes in your morning routine and make a list of everything you need or want to do. Making a list of the things you want to get done frees up mental space and helps keep you on track. 

As you go through your day getting stuff done, check them off your list. This simple little act can give you a huge feeling of accomplishment that feeds your motivation. At the end of the day, move each item you haven’t done yet to tomorrow's list - and check them off today’s. At the end of the day, everything on your list has been addressed, and you can sleep easy without those things keeping you awake. The next morning, add to your list and repeat the process!

Your Daily List

Each morning, make a list of all the things you want to get done today. That might be doing dishes, running an errand, calling a utility company. List as many things as you need to in order to get your whole to-do list down on paper. Include work projects, phone calls, and meetings. Write down things you need to do for your home and family and chores you want to get done.

As you move through your day, check off everything you’ve accomplished. And add things as they come up. Getting those ideas down on paper helps to keep your mind from getting cluttered.

Set aside a few moments at the end of the day to review your list. Check off everything that has been completed. On the next blank page write tomorrow’s date, then start tomorrow’s list by copying over anything that hasn’t been completed yet. Cross out each item from today's list as you move it to tomorrow.

That’s it! By making a simple list of goals every morning, and moving the incomplete ones to the next day every evening, you can end your day knowing that everything on your list has been addressed!

Get your Daily List Template here.

Stress is your body’s natural reaction to things that we feel threaten our safety and well-being. By taking some simple and easy to use steps, you can regain a sense of security and reduce your levels of stress.🍥

Karen Gray is a Certified Hypnotist, a Registered Nurse, and the director of Green Mountain Hypnosis in Lebanon, New Hampshire. For more information on how you can use hypnosis to change your life, visit www.greenmountainhypnosis.com, email Karen at karengray@greenmountainhypnosis.com, or call (802) 566-0464.