On basic needs, comfort, and enjoyment

I have a tendency to "power through" a task or attending to my kids' needs while putting my own basic needs, comfort, and enjoyment on the back burner. Not in any kind of worrisome unhealthy way, but just putting off something that I need or that would be nice just for me. I'm trying to do less of this!

Enter BCE: basic needs, comfort, and enjoyment. I came up with this little collection and have started checking in with myself during busy times of my day. I'll ask myself,

"Do I have any basic needs? What would make me more comfortable? And what would contribute to my enjoyment right now?"

Here are some of the things I think about in each category...

Basic needs: Do I need to go to the bathroom? (I drink a lot of water so often the answer is yes!) Do I need a snack? Am I thirsty?

Comfort: Am I too cold or too hot? If so I could add or remove a layer of clothing, or grab a heating pad to put on my lap while I work. Am I comfortable in my clothes? Do I need softer pants, to change my bra, or to change my underwear? (We're getting quite personal here but especially by the end of the day in our hot climate a fresh pair of undies is a great upgrade to your comfort). Also, do I need to change where I'm sitting to work, or perhaps sit down for a while if I've been standing? This could also apply to specific situations such as if I'm playing with Maeve on the ground: would I like a pillow behind my back or to sit on a blanket? There are so many ways to make ourselves more comfortable! Why not do them?

And, finally, enjoyment: What would make this more enjoyable right now? A cup of tea, lighting a candle, a small bowl of a delicious snack, putting some music on, opening a window shade to let natural light in–all of these take little effort but create small joys.

It takes very little time to check in with myself and to attend to my basic needs, comfort, and enjoyment. But doing so feels like a deep breath and helps me feel more cared for before I get back to taking care of something else or someone else.

How are you at checking in with yourself instead of powering through your days? What kinds of basic needs, comfort, and enjoyment do you find yourself needing?