What is Self-care and why is it so important?

Self-care refers to anything that you do to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, physically socially and spiritually healthy. If you don't practice self-care regularly, you're risking your well-being and inviting burnout and possibly sickness. (SNHU and WHO).

As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) Self-care is defined by the term; caring for yourself. It includes anything you do to keep yourself healthy physically, mentally and spiritually.   To promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and/to disability with or with the support of a health worker.  Although prioritizing self-care may sound like common sense, especially if you’re considering longevity, it’s often the first thing to go when you find yourself in challenging situations, whether because of bad health, a financial crisis, job loss, divorce or another significant life event. This is why it is important to keep it top of mind and not an after-thought, especially in challenging times.

Because your mental and physical health are so closely related, self-care works on multiple fronts. Meaning, as you tend to your emotional and psychological needs, you improve your physical health—and vice versa

How to Practice Self-Care 

Building your perfect self-care plan will depend on your personal health and lifestyle. Here is a starting point to create a plan to encourage better health and well-being:

• Determine your overall level of health: Once you know your starting point health-wise, you can begin adding or subtracting certain activities or stressors in your life to focus on improving your health.
• Identify your stressors: Make a list of things that cause you stress in all aspects of your life. The next step is to do your best to avoid certain stressors. If they are unavoidable, teach yourself coping techniques that can help lessen your stress reaction to certain situations.
• Identify your coping strategies: Everyone develops strategies to cope with health issues, stress, and other life problems. Make a list of your coping strategies and see which ones are healthy and which ones aren’t. The unhealthy ones that don't serve you well can be swapped out for healthier coping mechanisms.  After completing these steps, you can begin to formulate a plan that you can commit to.

Now try these Self-Care Ideas

1- Start a gratitude journal.

2- Create a luxury at-home spa day experience.

3- Move your body - exercise, take a walk, just get moving.

4- Treat yourself, to something you've been wanting to do, buy, or taste.

5-  Get a massage or facial.

6-  Have a busy schedule - try meal prepping to make life easier.

7-  Clean out any clutter (it will make you feel better).

8-  Plan your next DREAM vacation.

9-  Make a list of things hindering your growth and post it where you can work on them. 

10- Practice saying NO.  It's ok to say no. You don't have to do everything everyone wants.

11- Listen to music / bing watch some movies.

12- Take a bubble bath.

13- Go to bed early.

14- Be thankful for the day!!

Self-care is the practice of taking care of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness. It is a lifestyle that enables you to set aside time for your health to ensure your overall well-being now and for years to come.