Why We Care About Self-Care
What is self-care?
Self-care is a term often mistaken for over-indulging in material items, binge-eating your favorite unhealthy snacks, going on lavish vacations, numbing bad feelings through the use of unhealthy coping mechanisms, or simply being selfish.
However, it is so much more than that! According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care is being able to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and/or disability with or without the support from a healthcare provider. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can:
- be healthy
- be well
- do your job efficiently
- help others
- successfully accomplish all you need and want to get done each day
Do We Prioritize Self-Care?
While self-care may sound like common sense to most, it is often the first thing to go when you find yourself in challenging situations or new adjustments, rather it be bad health, a financial crisis, a recent divorce, or any other significant life event.
Prioritizing self-care reduces burnout rates, improves physical health, enhances emotional and mental well-being, increases productivity and focus, improves relationships, and improves self-esteem and self-worth. Self-care is critical to our well-being; however, it looks different for everyone. Self-care can be anything that makes you smile, makes you feel good about yourself, and makes you feel cared for.
How Do I Activate Self-Care?
Self-care comes in different forms, such as:
- physical health
- mental health
- relationship health
- spirituality
For physical health, that may mean
- getting proper exercise
- eating regular and well-balanced meals
- engaging in relaxation activities
- getting enough sleep
- seeking regular medical care
Mental self-care can help you successfully manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Examples may include:
- practicing gratitude regularly
- reading a book
- completing a puzzle
- trying a new hobby
- participating in creative activities that bring you joy
Having healthy relationships is also a form of self-care. When individuals lack platonic relationships, they are more likely to experience psychological distress or engage in unhealthy behaviors.
Ways to foster healthy relationships may include:
- regularly getting together with friends or family
- joining local groups
- volunteering for a local organization
Spiritual self-care may include:
- meditating
- listening to various types of music
- praying
- spending time in nature
To effectively build a self-care plan, encouraging better health and well-being, you can start by determining your overall health, identifying your current stressors, and identifying your current coping patterns. After completing these steps, it will be easier to formulate and implement a plan that you can commit to!
