The term ‘self care’ is being used more and more frequently, but what is self care?
Self care means doing things to support your physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing.
What are the benefits of self care?
Self care is a way to reduce stress and feel more able to cope with whatever life throws at you. Self care can protect you against burnout in your work and your personal life. Self care can also put you in the best position to feel healthy and thriving, and to get the most enjoyment out of life.
Taking time for self care can be very difficult, especially if you’re busy or spend a lot of time looking after others. However, the better you’re feeling the more able you’ll be to put your energy into work, family, or other activities in your life.
What can I do for self care?
The suggestions below offer some great ideas for ways to look after yourself. Effective self care is different for everyone; see what works best for you and have fun experimenting with your own self care ideas.
Sleep
The amount of sleep you get can have a huge impact on your physical and mental health. One short night may leave you feeling irritable and less able to cope with the stressors of daily life. Getting a little bit of extra sleep could be an effective way to improve your wellbeing, even if it’s only possible to do so occasionally. Many of us get caught in a cycle of getting insufficient sleep more nights than not and end up struggling through the day. If you’re suffering from insomnia, the other forms of self care discussed below may help you get a restful night’s sleep.
Keeping a regular sleep cycle can also make a big difference. Some people find that they feel better when they wake up and go to sleep around the same time every day. You may find it easier to fall asleep at night if you’re keeping a regular schedule, and feel more refreshed in the morning. Sleeping in on the weekends doesn’t have to go out the window, either. People who do try to keep regular sleep cycles often sleep in on their days off, but usually by only an hour or so.
Eating
You may notice yourself crashing after snacks or suddenly realising you’re starving and without food. Regular and healthy eating habits can be a useful form of self care but also difficult to maintain in the course of our busy lives. When it’s possible to eat nutritious food, your mood and energy levels may be more positive and steady. Keeping a regular eating schedule is another way that some people support themselves to feel healthy and energised. Other self care with your eating habits may include trying to eat before you get too hungry and eating mindfully to keep from overeating.
Exercise
If you’re feeling tired and overworked, exercise is probably the last thing on your mind. Thankfully, exercise doesn’t have to be a full blown, sweaty session at the gym to be beneficial. A gentle yoga class or even a short walk around the block at lunch time could be valuable for your sense of health and wellbeing. Although everyone is different, you may find that a brisk walk can be an amazingly effective way to clear your mind and give yourself an energy boost. Exercise may also help you fall asleep more easily and sleep more deeply. Explore what suits you and whether some form of exercise is a useful support to add to your self care repertoire.
Drugs and Alcohol
When we’re stressed, it’s easy to open a beer for an effortless way to unwind. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional drink. It can become an issue when your immediate reaction to stress or anxiety is to turn to alcohol or drugs for support.
If you find yourself drinking whenever you’re stressed or binge drinking (5 or more standard drinks in one sitting for men, or 4 for women) it may be worth considering whether you’re in need of support or stress relief that you’re not getting from other sources. Other forms of self care may help you reduce your stress in ways that are kinder to your long-term physical and mental health.
Schedule “You” Time
Most of us find it hard to schedule in time for ourselves with no other obligations. If we are struggling to find time to sleep, fitting in a massage may seem impossible. The wonderful thing is that “you” time is likely to leave you more energised, more emotionally grounded, and better able to face the world and its challenges. Taking time for yourself may actually support you to power through your the other tasks in your life. You may also feel more fulfilled and lively as a result. If you spend a lot of time doing for others and not engaging in self care, it’s easy to start feeling drained and for resentment to creep in.
What you do during your “you” time depends on what brings you joy and relaxation. It could be painting, watching a movie, reading a book, going to a play, or taking a hot bath. It might even be taking 5 minutes to breathe and listen to your favourite song. Whatever helps you to feel supported, refreshed, and less stressed. If you haven’t been doing much self care, it may take awhile to sort out what will bring you the most pleasure during your free time. The process of figuring that out can also be rewarding.
Whatever activities you choose for your “you” time, it may be helpful to schedule that time into your diary. Experiment with treating it with as much importance as a big meeting at work. It’s easy to push time for self care aside if you haven’t made it a priority.
Counselling can be another useful form of support. Working with a counsellor can help you identify areas of your life where you could benefit from greater self care, and what you can do to best look after yourself.
The team at Paul the Counsellor offers caring, supportive, confidential counselling in the Melbourne CBD. If you’re feeling burned out or want to know more about self care, one of our counsellors can help you get back on track.
