Self-care: Practical Strategies and Illustrative Examples
In today's fast-paced world, self-care has become an essential aspect of maintaining both physical and mental health. The term "self-care" is defined by the World Health Organization as "the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider."
Self-care practices can take many forms, each catering to different aspects of well-being. For instance, spiritual self-care involves activities that center on spirituality and nurture the soul. This could include engaging in prayer and meditation, attending a worship service, doing yoga, self-reflection, walking in nature, attending a retreat, and more.
When it comes to physical health, self-care practices are equally important. Examples include getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, going for a walk, drinking plenty of water, practicing good personal hygiene, and taking a relaxing bath.
A 2020 survey found that 7 in 10 Americans are aware of their need for self-care. However, about 6.7% of the U.S. population practice a form of health self-care on a daily basis.
Workplace self-care is another crucial aspect that often gets overlooked. It involves activities that allow employees to share their skills and strengths and make them feel fulfilled in their careers. Examples include spending time with co-workers outside of work hours, attending seminars and conferences, taking a mental health break or vacation leave when necessary, using time management, and not responding to work emails or messages outside of office hours.
Mental health self-care is equally important and encompasses activities that keep the mind focused and engaged. These activities can help reduce stress, manage mental health conditions, and improve physical health. Common practices for mental health improvement include mindfulness and relaxation techniques, regular physical activity, prioritizing sleep hygiene, nutritious and intuitive eating, journaling and gratitude practices, engaging in enjoyable and relaxing activities, positive self-talk and affirmations, and being aware of one's boundaries and implementing them.
Financial self-care is another often-neglected area of self-care. Examples of financial self-care activities include completing tax responsibilities on time, meeting with a financial advisor, paying bills, budgeting money, and learning about money management.
Community organizations and local support groups can provide support for people with similar interests or dealing with specific issues. For example, the Mental Health America Affiliate and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Connection offer ways for a person to find support groups in their area.
Creating a self-care action plan involves assessing one's well-being and stress level, identifying stressors, identifying coping strategies, identifying current self-care practices, identifying potential barriers or obstacles, and highlighting the self-care practices one is already doing. A person may find support for their self-care pursuits by listing friends and family members who are comfortable with them, take their concerns seriously, value them, are trustworthy, and help them solve their problems.
A 2022 study found that financial literacy is a better predictor of happiness than income, highlighting the importance of financial self-care. Similarly, a 2016 study on self-care practices of college students found that practices like sleep hygiene and food habits are positively associated with student engagement, persistence, and performance.
Social life self-care involves activities that build and grow a person's relationships. Examples include engaging in healthy social media use, spending time with family and friends, keeping a date night on the calendar, calling loved ones, trying new hobbies and joining groups to meet and socialize with others.
In conclusion, self-care is a broad term that covers activities a person does to improve or preserve their physical and mental well-being. By incorporating a variety of self-care practices into our daily lives, we can promote mental wellness, reduce stress, manage mental health conditions, and improve our overall quality of life.
In the realm of mental health, self-care encompasses practices that keep the mind focused and engaged, such as mindfulness and relaxation techniques, regular physical activity, prioritizing sleep hygiene, nutritious and intuitive eating, journaling and gratitude practices, engaging in enjoyable and relaxing activities, positive self-talk and affirmations, and being aware of one's boundaries and implementing them.
Workplace self-care, when overlooked, can impact employee well-being significantly. It includes activities like spending time with co-workers outside of work hours, attending seminars and conferences, taking a mental health break or vacation leave when necessary, using time management, and not responding to work emails or messages outside of office hours.
