A friend is going through a difficult patch, and mentioned in passing that she’d put off the ‘me time’ she longed for until the next lot of steps have been achieved.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of seeing self-care as a ‘reward’ for an endurance marathon we’ve completed. We can see it as something we turn to because we’ve overdone things, or been swamped, or we’re desperate.

We use it as ‘After Care’ when we’ve gone too far, done too much or been through the ringer (and of course, it can be so helpful then too). But what really makes the difference, in terms of our ability to withstand pressure and perform well, is the ‘Before Care’.

Flipping the switch, so we’re dishing out the self-comfort and support NOW and chasing it with the hard work later can only boost our capacity to cope. It’s why sleep must come before and after a big presentation or triathlon or family event. And why we’re so much better at our jobs and our relationships and parenting when we take proper breaks along the way.