Why self-care isn’t selfish

What is self-care?

There are many practices that could be titled self-care, but the important thing is that it’s an activity you do deliberately to take care of your mental, emotional and physical health.

Sounds simple right? And it is, in theory. In practise though, self-care is something we often overlook, especially when we are busy (which is, perversely, the times we need it the most).

Unlike selfish acts, which exclude others and centre solely around your own needs, self-care enables you to better yourself so you can make a bigger contribution. Self-care is about prioritising and understanding your own wellbeing so you don’t become sick, stressed or unproductive. Some examples of self-care include:

• Eat and enjoy a nutritious, healthy diet.
• Exercise. Choose a form that you enjoy and are happy to do every day. Relaxation or meditative exercise might be for you.
• Stretching.
• Make those medical appointments. It is not unusual to put off check-ups or visits to the doctor.
• Create a “no” list – of the things you don’t like, or no longer want to do. This might be things such as not checking your emails in the evening, or not attending events you don’t want to go to.
• Taking a bath.
• Unplugging from social media.
• Spend enough time with your loved ones.
• Make sleep a priority.

What are the benefits of self-care?

Practicing self-care can bring you balance, help you prioritise your wellbeing and show others that you know your own worth. It can help you discover a more positive outlook, as well as giving you the productivity and motivation to get through the hard tasks, so you can get onto something you love.

How to make self-care part of your routine.

As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty jug, so what are some of the ways you can ensure self-care becomes a part of your everyday routine?

• Plan and prioritise: self-care won’t simply happen by itself. Put time in your diary for things such as exercise, meal planning, cooking and medical appointments and treat them as you would any other important task.
• Start small: if you’re struggling to find the time for self-care activities, then put aside as little as 5-10 minutes and gradually work your way up to 30-60 minutes.
• Find activities that you love: you’re much more likely to stick with an exercise routine you enjoy rather than one you don’t.
• Consistency is key: in order to help your routine stick, focus on consistency, rather than an all or nothing approach.
• Find yourself a buddy: although self-care is best done alone, having someone going through the journey at the same time as you can help to keep you both accountable.
• Try a two-week self-care routine: then compare your wellbeing at the beginning of the trial, and at the end.

As with all things which are worthwhile, self-care takes practice. Get into the habit of doing something for yourself every day and see what benefits it brings.