What Is Self-Care and Why Is It Important?
With busy lives and nearly constant digital connection to the rest of the world, it’s common to neglect or even completely forget to practice self-care. However, self-care is incredibly important for a variety of reasons, and while it may seem like an extra complication, you may find that increasing self-care is easier than you think.
Improving self-care generally includes anything that increases physical, mental, or holistic wellness.
The Impact of Self-Care
Self-care may seem like something that is difficult to avoid but forgetting to take care of your own needs is relatively common, especially during challenging times in your life. Not only is self-care important for reducing or eliminating some forms of emotional instability, such as depression and anxiety, but it can help reduce the overall levels of stress and raise general happiness and satisfaction. 1
In a survey, 67% of people reported that they cared for others more than themselves, and approximately one in three people feel some degree of guilt for taking some time for themselves. Additionally, less than one-third of people surveyed reported actively making time for self-care activities. 2
Types of Self-Care
Self-Care
There are multiple types of self-care that can be implemented in your daily life. Incorporating self-care practices from each category into your self-care plan can help give a well-rounded approach.
Physical Self-Care
Physical self-care includes going for a walk, eating better, exercising, drinking a few extra glasses of water each day, and even getting a yearly checkup at the doctor’s office. The importance of physical self-care is significant and can drastically improve overall well-being.
Social Self-Care
Maintaining adequate socialization is important to your self-care. For example, hanging out with friends, reaching out to a family member you haven’t talked to in a while, and improving workplace relationships all contribute to better social self-care.
Mental Self-Care
Reading, listening to podcasts or audio programs, trying new creative pursuits or art forms, and even enrolling in a class or course to learn a new skill can be easily incorporated into a solid mental self-care plan.
Holistic Self-Care
Holistic self-care can include meditation, praying or attending religious ceremonies, practicing yoga, and charity work.
Emotional Self-Care
Talking, journaling, or even listening to that energizing playlist you haven’t heard in a while can improve your mood and emotional state.
How to Practice Self-Care: Some Self-Care Ideas and Activities
While there are countless ways to practice self-care, here are some of the most common and easy-to-implement ways to take care of yourself. 3
Get Regular Exercise
If you want to boost your self-care and well-being, one of the best ways is to get some exercise. You’ll increase your heart rate, blood flow, and endorphin levels, naturally improving your physical and mental health.
Eat Healthily
Arguably one of the most significant ways to take care of yourself is to eat a healthy and balanced diet. A healthy diet will contribute to better physical self-care and well-being and help improve your mental and emotional health.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can hinder physical and emotional health, so staying hydrated is one of the best self-care practices. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water, per day. For example, someone who weighs 150 pounds should be drinking about 75 ounces of water per day.
Sleep Well
Making restful sleep a priority is a great way to start taking care of yourself. This can be achieved by sticking to a schedule and avoiding digital devices that emit blue light for an hour before bed to help your body recognize when it’s time to sleep.
Try Relaxing Activities
Simple and relaxing activities like meditation or breathing exercises are great ways to practice better self-care. There are even a variety of smartphone apps to help in these pursuits.
Set Goals and Priorities
Deciding on what is important and what can wait is helpful when compartmentalizing and setting goals for yourself. In addition, saying “no” to extra tasks can aid in avoiding burnout and maintaining a healthy schedule and self-care plan.
Practice Gratitude
One of the most common self-care activities is to take the time to recognize and note the things in your life you are grateful for.
Focus on Positivity
Another common self-care activity is maintaining a positive state of mind, constantly challenging the negative or intrusive thoughts that you may have.
Stay Connected
Lean on your friends, family, or even a professional if you need some additional help taking care of yourself.
Seek Professional Help in San Diego
Knowing how to implement self-care best practices can raise your level of overall happiness in life while staving off symptoms of mental illness or professional burnout. Sometimes, it is easy to lose track of your well-being or miss the signs indicating when to seek professional help.
Seek Professional Help
Signs That Indicate It Is Time to Seek Professional Help
There are some telltale signs that you may be experiencing a lack of self-care, indicating that it’s a good time to seek some professional help. These signs include:
- Significant changes in sleep habits, such as difficulty falling asleep or always feeling tired despite getting rest
- Undesired changes in weight stemming from an altered appetite
- Difficulty concentrating or maintaining focus at school or work
- Diminished interest in hobbies or social engagements
- Unable to maintain the responsibilities of daily life
Contact Us at Genesis Recovery
If you regularly or consistently experience any of these symptoms above, it may be time to talk to someone about better self-care. Reach out to Genesis Recovery today to discuss your needs in a confidential environment and take your first steps down the road to better self-care.
We look forward to helping you or your loved one find confidence necessary to take care of their general wellness through self-care.
Resources
- https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/what-is-self-care#:~:text=Engaging%20in%20a%20self%2Dcare,%2C%20improve%20energy%2C%20and%20more
- https://www.birchbox.com/guide/article/how-to-practice-self-care#:~:text=74%25%20of%20people%20consider%20self,only%2032%25%20of%20women%20do
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health
