One thing that is big right now is the concept of self-care. We see this everywhere that we look and hear about it all the time. But what is self-care really? The idea of self-care seems obvious to most and the basic concept is simple. Take time out of your day to take care of yourself.
Even though it seems pretty straightforward. There is more to it than just taking a bubble bath or meditating. It also means setting boundaries with people in your life, participating in activities that you enjoy, and a whole slew of other things. So the question here is what is self-care really and what it means to you.
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Why you need to practice self-care
We are all very busy people. With work, kids, spouses, and every other thing that goes on in our lives we can get stretched thin. Because we are always on the go, it is easy to forget to take time for ourselves. Time for our mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.
When you take the time to focus on YOUR needs each day that is a big part of practicing self-care. Taking time for yourself is not selfish in any way. You cannot be expected to take care of everyone and everything if you are running on empty and too emotionally or mentally exhausted.
This is when the concept of self-care comes in. By taking care of yourself you are better able to take care of others that depend on you. This is meant to help you understand what self-care really is.
What Self-Care is
There is a lot more to Self-Care than what you might think. It is actually taking care of yourself. There are different levels of it as well. There are physical, mental, emotional aspects to total self-care and there are varying degrees of it too.
Physical self-care
This is taking care of not just your body, but its core needs as well. Simply put: take care of your body’s needs.
You need to be making sure that you are getting enough sleep (7 to 8 hours for adults) eating a balanced diet, exercising, and taking care of medical needs too.
This doesn’t mean that you need to go crazy trying to always diet and exercise. It just means that you should be mindful of the foods that you eat regularly and getting up and moving around each day. You should make sure to drink enough water throughout the day and eat a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, and proteins. But don’t forget to have dessert too! A few sweets can do wonders for you.
Making sure you get enough exercise is important also. You don’t have to go crazy and work out all the time. Just going for a short 30-minute walk around the neighborhood is a great way to exercise. It gets you up and out of the house for a bit and the fresh air is good for you.
Mental and Emotional
This can be as simple as talking to a friend or family member about your feelings.
But it can also mean setting boundaries for others that are in your life. It is perfectly fine to learn the art of saying no to things and people that are not healthy for you to be around. There are times that you need to take a firm stand in how much you are willing to do for others.
Once they figure out that you mean what you say, they will stop bugging you about the same things all the time.
It is also getting you out of your head once in a while. You can do this by keeping a journal or talking to others. Or if you need to go to see a therapist on occasion. Talking to someone that can look at your life from the outside can give you better insight into what might be bothering you.
Whatever you decide, make sure it is the right way for you to go. If you hate to write then it would make no sense to start a journal. Practicing self-care is about doing what is best for you, not what others are doing for themselves.
One of the things that I enjoy doing is reading Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels. They take you away from the modern world and into a place that is different from the world around me. A world filled with fantasy characters in made-up worlds is very different from my current surroundings. This helps to clear my mind a bit so I can focus on things later on.
What self-care is not
One thing that needs to be said about self-care is that it’s not a one-and-done type of thing. You can’t just exercise once and say you are now practicing self-care. Just the same as you can’t eat one healthy meal and expect to lose weight.
It is an ongoing process, especially in the beginning. When you are first starting to delve into the basics of self-care you need to realize that there is also not a one-size-fits-all type of thing.
Your needs are different from the person next to you. Just because it works for them doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.
You need to figure out the things and approaches that work best for you and your daily needs. When deciding on an exercise or dieting plan make sure to consult your primary physician to make sure that you are doing things that are best for your health.
Different ways to take time for yourself
Out of the box Self-care
Sometimes what you do for yourself looks nothing like what others are doing. Which is totally fine. You do what is best for you. If you are stuck on ideas for things to do that are more on the unusual side here are a few for you to try:
Video games
This is one that I do sometimes. I like to break out the 3DS and play some of the newer versions of games I enjoyed as a kid. Mario Kart, Super Mario World, and The Legend of Zelda games are my favorites. It brings me back to a time when things were simpler, and I didn’t have so much going on.
Coloring Books
Sure they have coloring books that are for adults. They are filled with complex designs and the finished product can be very pretty. But if you really want to relax while coloring, I suggest getting out your kid’s coloring books and crayons. The pictures are simpler and easy to fill in. It makes for a more relaxing experience overall.
Nerf/Airsoft gun fight
This is something that you can do with the family if your kids are older. There is something very relaxing about running around and shooting the hubby and kids with darts. It is also a good way to get yourself up and moving around so it’s a win/win for me.
Traditional Ideas
If you are looking for a more traditional approach there are various ways that you can start.
Yoga
This is a long-time favorite. It brings together all three areas of self-care. When you practice yoga you are also becoming aware of your body and sometimes your thoughts as well. It is a lower impact exercise in some ways so that it is easier to do for most people.
Related Reading: 6 Changes To Improve Your Mindset, Finding Balance as a Working Mom, How to Boost Your Confidence
Meditation
This goes along with yoga but it is still separate as well. This is the process of intentionally clearing your mind of distractions and focusing on your inner thoughts and self. Meditation is an important part of self-care routines because it helps you become more in tune with your body and clears your mind.
Great advice!. It’s really hard to prioritize but being stuck at home over covid really gave me time to try things I never would have and hopefully I’ll be able to carry a few thru now I’m back to work…fingers crossed 😉
I think that is one of the only good things about the last few months. We have all had time to take a step back and try new things. I hope you can keep it up!
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