Self-care is more than a spa day
In high school I probably would have described “self-care” as a spa day. Something out of the ordinary, not a habit or a routine. Now, I consider self-care to be an aspect of my everyday routine and a habit. Understanding this distinction and balancing my daily routine with self-care rituals has been an area of growth for me throughout college- and I am definitely still working on it. Before writing this, I reflected a little bit on small changes in my everyday routine that have reduced my stress and anxiety over the last 5 years. I have more on my plate now than I did during my senior year of high school, but I handle it a lot better, sleep better, and have more energy. Some of this definitely came with maturity but, working on a routine of self-care has also been a major factor. I usually make time in my schedule for myself to just relax which is definitely important but, incorporating elements of self-care into my daily tasks and responsibilities is just as impactful on my well-being. For example, eating a meal with a friend, rather than by myself in a rush, always lifts my spirits and is an easy way to enjoy routine aspects of my day more. This is definitely a different form of self-care than getting a manicure (but both have an impact ;)). Self-care is not selfish or a luxury, it is a necessity.
As I am not an expert on any ~science~ behind this, I did a little research and wanted to share some findings I found interesting and helpful. One article by Elizabeth Scott, looked at 5 different types of self-care: physical, social, mental, spiritual, and emotional. All 5 areas contribute to your overall health and well-being. Everyone’s needs are different, therefore each of us needs to focus on some areas more than others. I explored a few of these areas I thought might be the most interesting to discuss but, I encourage everyone to do a little research on their own, I learned a lot in just a few minutes!
PHYSICAL ~
Prioritizing your physical self-care does not mean becoming a yoga instructor overnight- it does mean listening to your body, fueling it well, getting enough sleep and exercise, and being responsible for your health (taking medications as prescribed, listening to your doctors, etc.). All of these things seem obvious, but sometimes they are a lot easier said than done. I know I often sacrifice some sleep or exercise time- aspects of my physical self-care- when I get busier. This usually results in falling into an “off week” of procrastination, more cramming for tests and laziness. I always feel better when I am more proactive with my responsibilities rather than reactive to the stress built up from procrastination. You might think you are too busy for some of the more time demanding aspects of physical self-care, but in a way if you have more on your plate, you probably need even more self-care to balance it out.
SOCIAL~
The idea of social self-care is where I thought of the example of having a meal with a friend instead of alone in a rush. It is something you have to work into your schedule because you need to eat and you are also getting some face-to-face friend time ~a dual self-care moment. Social self care corresponds with cultivating healthy and fulfilling relationships. The article gave a few questions to ask yourself to assess each area of self-care and I really liked the social ones: “Are you getting enough face-to-face time with your friends? What are you doing to nurture your relationships with friends and family?” I suggest looking at your daily and weekly schedule and actively putting in some social self-care time. On the busiest days, maybe call someone you haven’t talked to in awhile when walking to class or take a friend to run errands with you. You are nurturing a relationship and also taking care of yourself by doing this.
MENTAL~
Mental self-care includes activities that fuel your mind and inspire you, as well as maintaining a healthy inner dialogue. Think of this as the self-care of your psychological well-being. Activities to find inspiration can be diving into a class that you are passionate about. You have to attend anyways, so you might as well think of it as an inspiring self-care moment. It can also look like finding a book or podcast that interests you and provides a good perspective. Watching a movie or a TV show where you are learning something new can also keep your mind healthy. Personally, I consider a large part of mental self-care to be “intentional free-time”; something you are doing for your mental health where you can find inspiration or learn something new. In addition to activities that sharpen your mind, a healthy inner-dialogue is vital to mental self-care. This is sometimes incredibly difficult to achieve and like any other habit, it comes with practice. Practice as much self-compassion and acceptance as you can in small ways. Daily self-affirmations can be a good strategy to work on this area of self-care. You can do this in so many different ways, such as just taking a minute of your day to hype yourself up or even writing it down. I am not personally good at keeping up with journaling, but if you are this could be a great way to make self-affirmations, and a healthier inner dialogue, part of your self-care routine. A little positive self-talk goes a long way. Don’t forget to affirm others too- a little encouragement goes a long way and we all need it.
~
I encourage everyone to take a quick little self-care inventory and see what areas might need a bit more prioritization. Habits are hard to change and working towards a balanced lifestyle is a process of constant growth. Remember that the effort you put in and your gradual growth is what really matters, not a perfect, idealistic routine. Be kind to your whole self- physical, mental, social, spiritual and emotional.
LIVE NAUTI
xo
Crista
~some interesting links to check out!
https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729
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