Self-Care
February’s blog will focus on self-care- what it means, how you can achieve it and the benefits it can bring.
I asked a sample of friends, family and clients to tell me in one sentence what they thought self-care meant:
“Taking care of your own health and wellbeing.”
“Having some ‘me time.’ A 5k run, a bubble bath & a face mask.”
“Making sure I take time out of my day to do one thing for myself- even just for 10 minutes, read a book, go for a walk, anything that makes me be present just for a short time.”
“Time to be yourself and do what you want to do without interruption.”
“Something important to make time for, to protect your own happiness and enable you to function at your best in all areas of life.”
As demonstrated above, self-care means different things to different people. But how do we actually practice the art of self-care? What does self-care give us/ do for us? Why do we even need self-care?
There are universally accepted ways of caring for the self that the vast majority of people benefit from:
· Developing a regular sleep routine can be vital to maintaining good self-care. Most medical practitioners recommend that 8 hours of sleep per night is the optimum amount, however many people get a lot less. This is usually due to waking up early for work/ childcare purposes and going to bed late (often staying up to watch TV or play games on a mobile phone.)
· Developing a healthy diet is physically great for you. This does not mean sticking to a strict calorie controlled diet for life, but rather eating in balance. Plenty of fruit and veg will inspire self-care, along with the occasional chocolate treat or cake.
· Many times I hear clients say “I just do not have time for breakfast/ lunch.” Not eating proper meals is poor self-care and can lead to digestion issues and depression. Timetabling 3 meals a day is essential to maintain good physical and mental health.
· Walking/ taking regular exercise has unlimited benefits. During the pandemic many more people have been indulging in the wonders of walking. Whilst walking helps to keep your heart healthy and muscles toned, it can be a wonderful way to breathe fresh air and escape an indoor life. Taking a walk with a friend can be mentally and emotionally stimulating.
· Whilst many people don’t practise meditation it is one of the most well-known forms of self-care. Sitting in a quiet space and clearing your thoughts can keep you grounded and ‘in the moment.’
· Use up any annual leave you have, even if you think you don’t need it. Taking a break from work and simply ‘doing nothing’ is an excellent way to achieve rest and relaxation, a very important part of self-care.
Self-care means taking time to do things you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be anything glamorous or expensive (although it can be), it just has to be something that provides enjoyment and an escapism. Sometimes we confuse self-care with comfort. Comfort involves making ourselves feel better when we are feeling low or fed up. We don’t have to experience these specific feelings in order to practice self-care.
Making self-care a priority is of the upmost importance. It may feel like there are many other things to do but self-care should take as much time as other responsibilities. Sometimes we may feel that self-care is selfish when, in reality, self-care is anything but selfish. Preserving our physical, spiritual, mental and emotional health not only benefits us but puts us in a better place to care for others.
Boundaries need to be put in place in order to preserve and protect your self-care. We often feel obliged to give a reason why we are saying no. In fact, there doesn’t need to be a reason. We are as entitled to not participate in activities as anybody else.
Set yourself specific self-care goals. These may look like easily achievable short term goals, for example, taking a 30 minute walk 3x a week, or switching your mobile phone off at night. Your goals do not need to be long term or difficult to achieve. Self-care is essentially very simple to conquer.