Life does get overwhelming from time to time, which is something every adult human being will admit to. And while admitting to this, we can also agree that all forms of stress relief will not work unless we are in the habit of intentionally taking care of ourselves. For example, hitting the gym once in a while won’t help much if you’re not in the habit of fueling your body with healthy, nutrient-dense food. You will need to take care of your basic needs first if you want your stress relief activities to be effective.
Self-care, therefore, is defined as “a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhance well-being.”
Self-care describes a conscious act a person takes in order to promote their mental, physical and emotional health… mind, body, and soul if you like.
Having an effective self-care routine has a number of important health benefits. Some of which include:
*Reducing stress and improving resilience
*Reducing anxiety, depression, and burnout
*Increasing energy
*Improving happiness
*Increasing energy
Developing stronger interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships
That out of the way, it is important to note that there are 7 pillars of self-care which include:
- Mental self-care
Mental self-care is about cultivating a healthy mindset through mindfulness and curiosity.
This is important for developing a healthy mindset, for growing your skills, for reducing stress, and for enhancing your knowledge and creativity.
Mental self-care ideas: Writing in a journal, meditating, taking an intentional break from social media, engaging your brain in a new way.
2. Emotional self-care
Emotional self-care involves taking care of your heart with healthy coping strategies.
Tapping into emotional self-care will help you understand yourself more, help you to deal with challenges and setbacks better, as well as help you develop healthy emotional responses.
Emotional self-care ideas: Watching and re-watching deep movies, positively and loudly affirming yourself, listening to your favorite songs, asking for help, saying “No” and setting boundaries…
3. Physical self-care
Physical self-care involves taking care of your body with exercise,good hygiene, nutrition, and getting proper sleep.
Taking care of your physical wellbeing will increase your energy levels and boost your self-esteem.
Physical self-care ideas: Drinking more water, eating regular meals at regular times (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), Taking your vitamins daily, getting enough sleep (7-8 hours daily), and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.
4. Environmental self-care
Environmental self-care involves taking care of the spaces and places around you.
The more you take care of your immediate environment, the more it will help you to thrive and feel a sense of belonging where you are.
Environmental self-care ideas: De-cluttering your living space, arranging your workspace, cleaning and re-arranging your shelves, tending to your immediate outdoors (balcony, lawn), only allowing things that spark joy into your space.
5. Spiritual self-care
Spiritual self-care involves activities or practices that give a sense of meaning to your life.
It involves taking care of your soul through practices that provide a sense of purpose, direction, or meaning to your life. Intentionally dedicating time to spiritual self-care can help you find more meaning in life, feel more grounded, and develop a sense of belonging in this life.
Spiritual self-care ideas: Spending time in nature and doing some rounding work, identifying your values and the things that are meaningful to you, volunteering to causes you believe in and strengthening your connection to a higher power (whatever that may be).
6. Recreational self-care
Recreational self-care involves indulging your inner child by making time for hobbies, fun activities, and new experiences. Recreation is important because it lets you get away from the pressure of your to-do list and simply enjoy the pleasures that life has to offer.
Recreational self-care ideas: Going on adventures either by yourself or with friends, Taking time for hobbies and creative activities, enjoying game days/nights with loved ones, scheduling time to do absolutely nothing and not feel guilty about it, switching up your regular daily routine…
7. Social self-care
Social self-care involves building relationships with regular connections and healthy boundaries.
Social self-care is all about cultivating healthy relationships and connecting with people who get you. Seeking out positive social connections will help us create a sense of belonging and acceptance.
Social self-care examples: Spending time with people whose company you enjoy, joining a support group, calling your friends and family members, hanging out with your colleagues outside the office…
