What is Self-Care? Why is Self-Care important? Is Self-Care being selfish?
The previous questions will be answered. Our previous post highlighted Isolation, among some of the information was tips to keep our minds busy – a hidden message… Self-care ideas. When we practice self-care we are able to manage our stress and daily challenges while taking care of ourselves. Read on for more ideas to help with self-care in the following six (6) areas:
- Workplace – home or professional
- set clear boundaries for others and make others aware of them
- Physical
- eat regular meals and drink plenty of water
- establish a regular sleep routine; know how much sleep our body needs daily based on our age
- engage in exercise activities; walk outdoors, climb stairs, etc.
- Psychological
- write in a journal and/or seek professional support
- engage with health social networks
- indulge in hobbies
- disconnect from media sources
- Emotional – allows us to safely experience a wide range of emotions
- create a supportive network of friendships
- talk to trusted networks about our feelings
- Spiritual
- engage in activities such as meditation or yoga
- reflect with close friendships
- Relationships
- find and maintain healthy, supportive connections with a diverse group of people
There are other activities that can be done to support our self-care and we must find what works best for us. Revisit daily goals and set up a self-care plan – while doing this, remember to ask, “What might get in the way?”.
When we feel stressed or overwhelmed with our daily activities, especially as a parent or caregiver, we sometimes forget to practice self-care. We often take care of the needs of others before we take care of ourselves. If we were to be asked when the last time was that we took care of ourselves, we probably would not be able to answer that question confidently. Sometimes the questions are: when was our last shower?; did we brush our teeth this morning?; when did we eat a healthy meal?; have we spent any time outdoors?
If we were to look in the mirror and the person staring back to us is unfamiliar, it has been a while since we focused on our self-care. We must give ourselves permission to nurture and take care of ourselves before we can nurture and take care of others.
Self-care is not being selfish. Selfishness is when another lacks consideration for others and is only concerned about their own personal pleasures. Self-care is an essential part of taking care of our mental, physical and spiritual well-being. When we struggle with taking care of ourselves, we are unable to confidently take care of others. Self-care is something that needs to be implemented into our daily routine, not just one time.
