What is Self-Care?
We are all aware self-care has become extremely popular over the past few years. It’s often associated with images of spa days, massages, shopping, and vacations. Others have used self-care and coping interchangeably, but they are not the same. What is self-care exactly? Self-care is any activity performed to maintain mental, emotional, or physical health. Regular, efficient self-care is the foundation for good mood, reduced distress, and healthy relationship with yourself and others.
What Self-Care is NOT
Self-care is not selfish. It is insight into our needs and our ability to take care of ourselves. Furthermore, self-care is not work. It is something we enjoy. For example, exercise can be a form of self-care. However, if the thought of working out makes you sigh heavily or you’re miserable throughout the entire workout process, exercise is not self-care for you.
Who Can Practice Self-Care?
Self care is for everyone, but it will look different from one person to the next, based on their personal needs and interests. There is no age minimum or maximum, class or education association. Self-care can be done in many ways.
Why is it Important?
Self-care is an opportunity to replenish and reset. The tug and pull of daily activities and stressful encounters can slowly reduce our ability to function. The consequences of stress not only effect us mentally and emotionally, but physically as well. Self-care is an expression of self love that recognizes our individual importance and humanity.
12 Self-Care Tips for 2020
Here are a few self-care strategies to develop your self-care routine.
Mental Self-Care:
Create a no list. This is a list of things you are no longer interested in doing. For example, working on the weekends or checking work emails at night. The no list creates control over how you allocate your time and reserves time for self-care.
Have a work cut off time (e.g. 9pm). Doing nothing can be self-care.
Perform relaxation strategies like meditation, deep breathing, or visual imagery. Relaxation helps you center your mind and focus on your breathing.
Physical Self Care:
Prepare and/or Eat a healthy, delicious meal (or snack). If you live to eat, I don’t have to explain the benefits of a delicious meal 😊 If you eat to live, I don’t have to explain the benefits of a healthy meal 😊
Engage in a physical activity (e.g. dancing, hiking, yoga, weightlifting, running, swimming). The benefits of physical activity are endless.
Get adequate sleep, the average recommended time is 6 to 8 hours. However, some people fall outside of the average on both sides of the spectrum. Focus on the time needed to feel RESTED instead of the time needed to function.
Follow up with medical care. It’s common to delay medical care when we prioritize our needs to last place.
Social Self Care:
Spend time with loved ones. They have a special ability to recharge us.
Establish AND implement boundaries. Ensuring you are treated with care is powerful self-love.
Emotional Self Care:
Go to therapy. Therapy is a wonderful opportunity to freely process your emotions. If you need help find a therapist to fit your needs
Do something you love. This is can be anything. For example, practicing nail designs, watching old Western movies, creating a Pinterest board, or watching a sports game. If you don’t have a hobby, it’s a great time to try something new.
Look for opportunities to laugh. Laughter, even to the smallest things, boosts your mood and makes you feel lighter.
A few thoughts to consider as you prepare your self-care plan…
Keep it simple (at first). Over time you will find a rhythm that works for you.
Self-care is intentional, not something that just happens. Consciously plan to engage in self-care.
Reflect on the outcomes of each self-care activity. Do you feel lighter, happier, rested, fulfilled, etc.? One way to personalize your self-care plan is to make a quick note of the activity outcomes. In the future, you can refer to the log to identify the specific activity that will provide your specific desired feeling.
Self-care gets better with practice. The more we do things we enjoy, the more fulfilling they become.
Have various levels self-care activities. For example, easy self-care strategies are useful for a stressful day when you have low energy but need to unwind (e.g. watch your favorite show with a snack). High self-care strategies are useful when you have high energy and unlimited time (e.g. hiking).