We all hear the phrase “self care” often and may think of spa days or ways to treat ourselves. While these can be great ways of taking care of ourselves, self care is much more than that. Self care is taking care of yourself emotionally, mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually so that you are at peace and in total alignment with yourself.
Self care means attending to your own needs so you are bringing your best self to your relationships, commitments, work, and anywhere else you spend time.
What Is Self Care?
Self care is a daily practice we must incorporate into our routines. When we are dealing with day to day stressors or larger stressors such as a pandemic and everything in between, practicing self care is part of the solution to the problems thrown our way. Self care includes taking into account our whole health in a holistic view to include emotional and spiritual health. Self care validates that you are a priority and your needs matter.
By placing yourself as a priority, you are telling your inner self that you matter and your needs are valid. By honoring your own self first, you are healing the parts of you that need the most love and attention.
Some ways to care for your whole self include:
- Exercise
- Taking time to appreciate and be in nature
- Getting enough sleep
- Having nutritious meals
- Taking a break from social media
- Spending time with meaningful relationships
- Engaging in something creative
When you take the time to focus on ways you can truly care for yourself, you are taking real steps in managing your own stress levels and overall well-being.1
Why Is Self Care Important?
Self care is critical in your overall wellness. Practicing self care requires you to do routine check-ins with yourself like you do with friends and family. It asks you to consider where you are physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and helps you to unwind and deal with stressful situations. What you do for self care is unique for you and there is no wrong way to practice self care as long as you are benefitting from your actions.
Practicing self care can help you maintain homeostasis. When you are attuned to your needs and taking time to care for your overall wellness, you are better equipped to be there for others as well. It also helps to take time to recognize the good, and pausing to calibrate and take inventory of your life can be eye-opening.
There are many benefits of practicing self care, including:2
- Lower cortisol levels
- Happier relationships
- Better sleep
- Improved immune response
- Increase in self-esteem
- Improved productivity
- Positive health outcomes
- More positive thinking
- Lower likelihood of depression and anxiety
Types of Self Care
The key three types of self care are:3
1. Physical Self Care
This type of self care focuses on taking care of your physical health and wellbeing. This means making sure you get enough sleep, eat enough nutritious meals and get enough exercise. We hold a lot of tension and stress in our bodies even if we don’t realize it, so it’s important to implement ways in which you can relax your body and release that stress.
2. Mental & Emotional Self Care
This type of self care puts your mind and feelings at the forefront. This means taking time to pay attention to how you feel, making sure you are caring for your emotional health, taking a break from draining situations and giving yourself permission to end a commitment or say no.
It’s important that you understand what your boundaries are and calibrate them if you need to in order to properly care for your mental and emotional health.
3. Spiritual Self Care
This type of self care centers on faith, whatever it is you believe in. If you practice a religious faith, this includes reconnecting with what you believe and spending time cultivating your spiritual connections and values. If this is outside of religion, it means taking time to meditate, journal, or participate in any other type of practice that helps you align your mind, body, and spirit.
How to Make a Self Care Plan
Starting out on a self care journey can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never taken the time to think about your own needs and wants. The first way to plan self care is by doing just that–sitting with the new feeling and learning what it’s like to think of yourself first. It can feel confusing or uncomfortable, but take a moment to acknowledge how you’re feeling and it will help you learn how to listen to your inner voice.
When creating a plan, you should first think about why self care is important and learn about the different types of self care, considering where you might be lacking (are you getting enough sleep? Are you feeling disconnected to yourself or others spiritually?). Next, you want to think about what your goals are for yourself. Once you have some goals established, you can work on a plan to reach those goals.
Ways to establish this plan include identifying your stressors and triggers:
- What is adding stress or conflict to your life right now?
- How long have you been feeling like this?
- How have you managed this in the past?
- Did it help?
Taking time to ask yourself some important questions can help guide you in your self care plans. If you know something hasn’t worked in the past, taking a moment to recognize that and consider another way of stress management is an example of practicing self care.
Once you have all your triggers written out and you’ve asked yourself these tough questions, you can now think about what you want to change to help you manage those stressors. This can be done with journaling, speaking with a trusted loved one, or with the guidance of a therapist.
It’s important that when planning for self care, you take into account what you may need, such as time, quiet space, clean space, energy, or sleep, and consider these to ensure your self care experience is the best that it can be. Ensure you can clear enough room to properly take care of those needs, guilt free.4
25 Self Care Activities to Consider
There are numerous ways to practice self care, including:
- Spending time with friends and family
- Spending time alone
- Taking a walk
- Getting enough sleep
- Setting up an exercise routine that you enjoy
- Joining a fitness club
- Going to yoga
- Cooking a healthy meal
- Enjoying quiet time
- Reading a book
- Sitting in nature
- Gardening
- Attending a religious service
- Volunteering
- Practicing mindfulness
- Indulging in something you enjoy
- Journaling
- Taking social media breaks
- Painting or drawing
- Community service
- Getting a massage
- Cleaning your space
- Trying something new
- Traveling to a new place
- Guided meditation
Final Thoughts on Self Care
There are many ways to define what self care is for you and there is no wrong way to practice self care as long as you feel good about what you are doing. Self care may involve seeking help for mental health from a therapist to truly take care of yourself. It can take time to incorporate self care activities in your day-to-day schedule, but with baby steps, you can set yourself up for success, balance, and fulfillment.
Additional Resources
- Mental Health America
- National Alliance on Mental Health
- MentalHealth.gov
- Online Therapist Directory: Sort therapists by specialty, cost, availability and more. Watch intro videos and see articles written by the therapists you’re considering working with. When you’ve found a good match, book an online therapy appointment with them directly.
Are you ready to connect with a therapist but feel a little overwhelmed by all your options? Speak with one of Choosing Therapy’s Client Navigators. Client Navigators are mental health professionals who will listen to what you’re looking for in a therapist and help pair you with the best possible fit. Getting started is free, easy, and confidential.
