Self-care may sound like a buzzword to encourage you to visit a spa, but it's actually a critical part of your health and wellness that you shouldn't neglect.
You may feel like you're too busy taking care of everyone else to practice self-care, but the truth is that taking care of yourself helps keep you healthy, happy, and charged up so that you are better able to care for others.
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at self-care. What is self-care? How do you practice it? What are some self-care ideas? Read on for a self-care checklist that you can use today.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care is about taking care of your body, mind, and soul by doing things that keep you healthy and reduce stress. While self-care could mean going to a spa and getting a massage, it also includes things like eating right, exercising, reading, or crossing something off your to-do list.
Why Is Self-Care Important?
If you don't take care of yourself, you will have a lower quality of life, a shorter lifespan, and less ability to care for others. We all know we need to eat right and exercise to be healthy, but did you know that managing stress is another big part of self-care?
Stress can cause or contribute to a number of health problems, including:
Obesity
Menstrual problems
Anxiety or depression
That means stress isn't just negatively impacting your life right now - it may cause lifelong problems that could shorten your life.
Self-care is about handling both your physical and emotional wellbeing, which is why it is so important.
How Do You Practice Self-Care?
Practicing self-care is about doing things that improve your physical or emotional wellbeing. Those things will look different for everybody. You might focus on exercising every day, eating a healthy diet, getting regular massages, making time to read your favorite book, or anything else that you enjoy or benefits your overall health.
What Is a Good Self-Care Routine?
A good self-care routine should include things that improve your physical, emotional, or mental health. A self-care plan should consist of things like:
Live healthily. Exercise, eat right, get enough sleep, and avoid alcohol and drug use.
Do something you enjoy every day. Read, paint, watch your favorite TV show, sing, dance - anything that brings you happiness, even if it is just a few minutes a day.
Practice good hygiene. Not only is it essential for your physical health, but it is good for your emotional wellbeing, too.
Relax. You might try going for long walks in nature, going to a spa, yoga, meditation, or anything else that helps you forget your worries for a while.
What Are Examples of Self-Care Ideas?
Self-care activities look different for everybody. The key is to pick something you enjoy and can stick with. A few examples of self-care ideas include:
Go for a walk
Take a bubble bath
Read a book
Go dancing
Try yoga
Sing in the shower
Take a nap
Cook or bake
Get a massage
Listen to music
Self-Care Ideas for Anxiety
Here are a few self-care ideas if you are struggling with anxiety:
Practice breathing exercises
Exercise
Meditate
Try cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Self-Care Ideas for Stress
A few self-care ideas for stress include:
Take a hot shower or warm bath
Cuddle with a pet
Watch a movie or TV show
Drive to a new place
Spend time in nature
Pray
Self-Care Tips for Mental Health
There are a ton of self-care tips for mental health, including:
Work toward goals
Focus on decreasing stress
Write in a journal
Connect with people
Get involved in your community
Take care of your physical health
Get plenty of sleep
Take time to do things you love
Meditate
Go to therapy
Related: Five Tips for Excellent Sleep
Self-Care Checklist
When creating a self-care checklist, you need to find activities that you have time for, can afford, and you can see yourself sticking to.
The stress of paying for something you can't really afford negates any positive effect. Trying to find time for something that takes a while can create stress. And even if you can afford an activity, it may not be worth the cost if you don't stick with it.
With those things in mind, here are a few items you might include on your checklist:
Exercise
Sleep
Eating healthy
Get plenty of hugs or the occasional massage
Set boundaries
Reduce stress
Learn something new
Take breaks
Practice mindfulness
Spend time with friends, family, or pets
Unwind on your own
Go to therapy
Online Mental Health
Mental health care no longer has to mean searching for a reputable therapist in your area, driving across town, or spending forever in a waiting room. Our online mental health care and therapy programs make it easier than ever to take care of your emotional wellbeing.
You'll get a weekly 45-minute online session with a licensed therapist who can help you with any number of issues. Whether you just need a space to vent your stress, or you want to learn how to manage your anxiety or depression better, our diverse range of trusted therapists can help.
If you are interested in medications to help manage your mental health, your online therapist can recommend you to a board-certified doctor to provide you with a mental health prescription, including options for an antidepressant prescription online. Your doctor can then send your medication to the pharmacy nearest you.
Take care of your mental health and schedule an appointment with one of our state-licensed therapists or board-certified doctors today!
Read More About Self-Care
Sources
Mental Health America. Taking Good Care of Yourself. Accessed on May 12, 2021 at https://www.mhanational.org/taking-good-care-yourself
National Alliance on Mental Illness. Taking Care of Yourself. Accessed on May 12, 2021 at https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Family-Members-and-Caregivers/Taking-Care-of-Yourself
American Psychological Association. Stress effects on the body. Accessed on May 24, 2021 at https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/body
Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School. Stress may be getting to your skin, but it’s not a one-way street. Accessed on May 24, 2021 at https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/stress-may-be-getting-to-your-skin-but-its-not-a-one-way-street-2021041422334
Mental Health First Aid. 4 Self-Care Tips for How to Deal with Anxiety. Accessed on May 24, 2021 at https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2018/07/how-to-deal-with-anxiety/
Amherst College. De-Stress. Accessed on May 24, 2021 at.
