In order to take care of others, you must take care of yourself. Self-care is defined as taking time to practice and be active in one’s own health and well-being during events that are stressful and overwhelming.
Engaging in self-care can look different for each person, but the outcome is generally similar, such as increased happiness, productivity, and health.
Not engaging in self-care can increase stress, feeling of exhaustion, irritability, and an overwhelming sensation. Everyone needs time to engage in self-care, whether it be for 10 mins or 2 hours, it is very important to our overall well-being.
According to PsychCentral:
“Self-care isn’t a selfish act either. It is not only about considering our needs; it is rather about knowing what we need to do in order to take care of ourselves, being subsequently, able to take care of others as well. That is, if I don’t take enough care of myself, I won’t be in the place to give to my loved ones either.”
The moral of this quote is that you should never feel guilty or ashamed to take time for yourself.
Some may wonder how can one engage and incorporate self-care into their hectic life? To help you start, take time to complete this quiz from PsychCentral to help you identify how well you are taking care of your overall well-being.
Once you are done taking the quiz, here are some tips that can help you start your self-care journey:
- Physical activity:Â Set a goal each week where you can take time to exercise, whether it be a light walk or run around the block.
- Journaling:Â Start a journal where you can write down your thoughts and feelings.
- Meditation:Â Try to meditate once a day or join a yoga studio.
- Being Social: Taking time to hang out with your loved ones, such as going to a coffee shop and enjoying a cup of coffee can go a long way.
- Eat Healthy: Take time to know what you are putting into your body, maybe even start meal prepping to help you stay on track with your goals.
- Read: Pull out your favorite book and take time to read and enjoy the silence.
- Get Plenty of Sleep: Ensure you are getting an adequate amount of sleep needed for yourself.
- Remain Positive: Engage in positive self-talk and be mindful of what you are saying about yourself.
- Set Realistic Goals: You are the only person who knows your hectic schedule. so make sure you are setting realistic goals that are attainable for yourself.
The above tips are just suggestions that can help you engage in self-care, however, you can alter or develop new self-care techniques that will be beneficial for yourself.
According to Psychology Today
“Practicing self-care isn’t always easy. Most of us are crazy busy, have stressful jobs, or are too consumed with technology to make time for ourselves. Me-time is usually last on the agenda. Worse, we can sometimes feel guilty about taking the time required to take care of ourselves. So getting started with self-care can be challenging.”
So, how can you work to avoid failing at self-care? Now, let’s discuss how you can develop a self-care plan to ensure you are on the right track to practice self-care on a daily basis.
A self-care plan is where you will be able to self-reflect and identify where you would like to start your self-care journey, whether it be focusing on your physical well-being or taking time to be more social and get out of the house. Each person will have their own customized plan, it will look different for each person.
I know it can be overwhelming and you may be unsure of where to even start, but remember, you don’t need to try to tackle everything at once, just take small steps to better yourself and your overall well-being.
Overall, Self-care is very important for every single person. Take time for yourself to ensure that you are able to function efficiently and effectively.
[Related: 34 Self-Care Tips to do Before Bedtime]