The words “self-care” might make you think of a bunch of fun relaxation techniques you can use to escape from your busy day. It is true that we need to take time off from our regular routines to avoid burnout and recharge, but self-care is so much more than just relaxing in bed. In this article, we’ll explore 8 different areas of self-care so you can start implementing these into your everyday life.
What is Self-Care?
Self-care is the act of engaging in different activities to gain or maintain an optimal level of overall health that can add to your well-being. It’s a simple concept but one that often gets ignored. These are intentional actions you take every day to fulfill an area of need in your life. Self-care is done deliberately and is not a luxury but a way of life.
Why Is Self-Care Essential?
If you often feel physically, emotionally, and mentally drained, the chances are it is because you are neglecting an area of self-care that is trying to grab your attention. It’s time that you give it a thought! Without self-care, prolonged and chronic stress and physical, mental, and emotional fatigue are imminent. And when we get to this point, not only is our health at risk, but we also become easily frustrated and overwhelmed, and the simplest of tasks seem difficult to achieve, hence making us unproductive.
That’s why it makes sense to know the different forms of self-care, so you’re able to recognize the areas that lack and need a little bit more engagement.
Self-care is a non-negotiable habit.
- The more you rest and take care of yourself, the more nourished you feel, so you can keep showing up as the healthiest version of yourself.
- Self-care also allows you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself so you can properly take care of your mental health and well-being.
- It’s also important to remember that self-care looks different to everyone. It’s about what works for you and what makes you feel good.
Therefore, self-care is not only for your well-being but for your productivity as well.
Namely, there are 8 main areas of self-care: physical, psychological, emotional, social, professional, environmental, spiritual, and financial. It should never feel like a chore or be expensive in nature. Choose activities you are comfortable with and switch them up from time to time.
8 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Care Every Day
1. Physical Self-Care:
Amongst the 8 areas, your physical self-care is perhaps the most critical self-care because a lack in this area can affect all other self-care categories. This type of self-care is about taking care of your physical body because if you are ill all the time, you are not in a position to do any good to yourself or anyone else. So, part of this regime includes eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting a good amount of sleep every night to boost energy levels and contribute to the overall quality of your life.
You can ensure that you remain in good physical condition by:
- Eating a healthy and nourishing meal
- Moving your body daily, either by walking, running or working out, etc.
- Taking probiotics or multivitamins daily.
- Drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up.
- Getting between 7-9 hours of good sleep
- Sitting in the sun and soaking up vitamin D
- Spending time in nature
- Having a soothing hot bath or shower
2. Mental Self-Care:
Mental self-care involves your psychological and cognitive thinking and your mind’s ability to understand and process information and experience. Not only do mental self-care practices help to stimulate the mind and improve brain functionality but they also help you to develop a growth mindset. A proper and healthy mindset helps us process information more easily and in a non-distorted manner.
Mental self-care activities include:
- Learning a new skill or language
- Setting big intentional goals or mini personal ones
- Reading self-help or personal growth books
- Journaling
- Practicing gratitude
- Doing a social media detox
- Engaging in a game of chess
- Practicing positive thinking
3. Emotional Self-Care:
Emotional self-care involves your feelings and learning to understand yourself and your emotions better through emotional self-care allows you to truly love and accept yourself.
Emotions manage the expression of your feelings and ultimately your behavior.
- You can develop your emotional intelligence by:
- Setting healthy and clear boundaries to protect your energy
- Spending time by yourself with no distractions
- Journaling your feelings
- Speaking to a therapist
- Having a good cry
- Practicing self-love
- Writing down positive affirmations
- Asking for help.
4. Environmental Self-Care:
In order to truly thrive you need to be in the right environment whether that means inside a bustling coffee shop or in a tidy and quiet home office or any other place where you enjoy spending your time. So, make sure you create the right type of environment to work for you.
Remember, your environment should always motivate you rather than distract you or make you feel depressed. Keep your personal spaces organized and clutter-free and maintain your environment just as much as you take care of yourself.
Environmental self-care activities include:
- Making your bed every morning
- Traveling for a change of scenery
- Tidying and organizing your workspace
- Decluttering your wardrobe regularly
- Heading to a coffee shop to work
- Exploring somewhere new
- Listening to music
- Setting a calm mood in the evenings
5. Financial Self-Care:
If the words “personal finance” sends shivers down your spine, then you surely need this self-care. But cultivating a healthy relationship with money is essential for our mental health as it helps eliminate stress and anxiety from our lives. Financial self-care can also improve our positive mindset around money, so we feel more open to talking about it and feel less negative towards people who have lots of it!
Financial self-care activities include:
- Listening to financial or money-related news
- Investing in your future
- Setting financial goals for the year
- Using a money app to help you keep track of finances
- Saving money each month
- Dealing with debt head-on
- Writing down positive money affirmations
6. Social Self-Care:
Self-care doesn’t always have to be about spending time by yourself. Social self-care is your ability to build and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships with others. Social connections help us to feel loved and less alone but are also essential in developing and improving our communication skills. Reconnecting with old friends or simply building and maintaining healthy relationships with loved ones is a great way to maintain social self-care.
Social self-care activities include:
- Form new personal and professional relationships
- Stay connected to important people in your life
- Hanging out with a friend with zero distractions
- Messaging a friend to tell them why you are grateful for them
- Limiting time with negative people
- Reach out to support systems regularly
- Asking for help when needed
- Set healthy boundaries
- Ending relationships with toxic people
- Spend time with friends and family
- Building an engaged community online
- Writing letters to a friend
7. Recreational Self-Care:
Recreational self-care also means taking out time for fun! Recreational self-care encourages you to tap into your inner child by taking part in hobbies that don’t require too much brain power. It is all about enjoying moments that bring you joy.
Recreational self-care activities include:
- Going traveling by yourself or with others
- Having a pamper day
- Watching Netflix or classic movies (if you like them)
- Getting creative by painting, coloring, or doing a puzzle
- Spending time in nature
- Reading fiction, magazines, or comic books
- Playing board games or doing a puzzle
- Joining an in-person exercise class
8. Spiritual Self-Care:
It is when you can find hope and peace in challenging situations.
While the other areas of self-care are focused on nurturing your mind and body, spiritual self-care aims to nourish the soul. It is different for everyone. Spiritual self-care practices help you tap into your inner being so you can find a deeper purpose and more meaning in your life. This area of self-care can also allow you to silence the outside noise so you can find internal calm and peace.
Spiritual self-care activities include:
- Meditating or breathwork
- Spending time in nature
- Going to a place of worship
- Yoga
- Mapping out your core values
- Dedicating time to self-reflection
- Learning more about astrology
- Manifestation
Practicing Self-Care isn’t just about spoiling yourself with a big treat or moment of luxury—like staying at a luxury hotel for the weekend, purchasing an all-new wardrobe, or opting for two desserts instead of one. The art of self-care is much simpler yet internally nourishing and one that teaches us to put ourselves before others at times and not feel guilty about it. Self-care should be more of daily practice, often made up of small but impactful intentions, which help keep you energized, gratified, and able to show up for others.
Don’t confuse it with indulgence!
It may not be easy for everyone to develop a self-care plan. Creating a balanced and quality life is a continuous process but not out of reach.
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