These days self-care gets talked about a lot. And there’s good reason for that. Self-care is vital to our overall wellbeing. It is not an indulgence. After all, you cannot pour from an empty cup. So if you have responsibilities – and we all do – taking care of yourself is an important first step in ensuring you are able to meet them.

 

What is Self Care?

The Oxford Dictionary describes self-care as:

“the practice of taking an active role in protection one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.”

There are a few key words in this description that are important to note. Firstly, ‘active’. You are the best person to judge what works for you in terms of your well-being, so your active involvement is essential. The second thing to note is that self-care is not only about physical wellness, but also emotional and psychological wellbeing. And the third is the issue of periods of stress. We are all under a great deal of stress right now, which makes self-care all the more important. So, how do we go about ensuring our wellbeing with constructive self-care.

 

Day to Day vs Critical Care

There are two kinds of self-care you can practice:

Day to Day – this kind of self-care is, as the name suggests, practiced daily, or at least regularly. The aim here is to maintain ongoing, stable health and well-being. Setting us up with a baseline if you like. This may include things like walking, joining a regular yoga class, or daily journaling.

Critical Care – No matter how diligent you are at regular self-care life will occasionally throw up stressors that will test you. At these times it is helpful to have Critical Care strategies you can employ. When you are in the moment is not the time to be thinking about what these strategies might be, so some pre-planned ideas are ideal. In times of high stress you might make time to get out into nature, or make an appointment to chat with a counsellor or trusted friend.

 

What Does Self Care Looks Like for You?

What constitutes self-care is different for everyone. But there are some simple things you can do to work out what might work for you, and importantly, what you are doing now that is not working for you.

1. Think about how you respond in times of stress or anxiety. What works well, and what doesn’t? Which behaviours are constructive and which aren’t?
2. Think about the things that bring you joy or peace. How often do you make time to do them? What is it that keeps you from doing them?
3. Think about how you can replace any negative or harmful coping strategies you are using with positive ones.

 

Some Self-Care Ideas

As I said earlier, self-care is not only about your physical well-being, but your mental and emotional health. When considering what positive coping strategies you might employ think about a range of areas. Consider:

Physical – think about things like nutrition, getting enough sleep and exercise as well as regular visits to the doctor for health check-ups. This might include regular massages, yoga, swimming, or an exercise class.

Intellectual – things like mental challenges, learning new skills, reading or personal education and development. This might include joining a book club, signing up at a local or community college to learn something new, or looking for more fulfilling work.

Emotional – things like relationships, connecting with others and expressing your emotions in a positive way.  This might include working on deepening your connections with your friends and family, joining a volunteer group operating in an area of interest to you or journaling to help you make sense of your thoughts and feelings.

Spiritual – things like meditation, spending time in nature, or exploring spiritual connections.  This might include mindfulness, joining an church or spiritual group, bushwalking or camping.

Whatever you do, the aim is for you to have a range of daily and critical care self-care activities that will help you cope with the inevitable ups and downs of life.

 

Self-Care at Work

We spend a great deal of time and work, and often it is the cause of much of our stress.  Whilst we don’t always have control over the stressors, we do have control over how we take care of ourselves and ensure we are best prepared to deal with them.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Take care of yourself physically at work. Stay hydrated, eat healthy snacks and make time for regular bathroom breaks. Depending on the type of work you do, its also a good idea to build in some stretching during the day.
• Develop friendly relationships with your co-workers. Look for someone you can really trust to share personal and private details with It’s remarkable what a difference a kind word or friendly ear can make when you are feeling stressed.
• Make your work environment as physically comfortable as possible. Whether that be the relationship between your desk and chair, the lighting or the noise levels, control what you can.
• Try not to skip your lunch breaks. Sure, there are days when you might be under the pump and can’t spare the time, but as a general rule, make sure you take a break. Even if it’s only 30 minutes. You don’t necessarily have to eat -take a walk in the fresh air, read a book or chat with a friend – but get out and disconnect from what is going on at work.

 

If you would like support in working out what constructive self-care strategies would work for you, or you would like to chat about what it is that’s causing you stress and anxiety, please give me a call on 0490 697 289 or contact me here.