What Is Self-Care?
So what exactly is “self-care” and why do so many people keep talking about it? Self-care encompasses the range of activities that one may do in order to ensure physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing. Activities include but are not limited to: eating regular meals, showering, brushing teeth, exercising, going to a counselor, wearing clean clothing, checking up on medical concerns, and getting enough sleep.
So, What Isn’t Self-Care?
Self-care should not be glamorized! Mental health and mental illness are not to be romanticized. And when it is, then we clearly are missing the point of self-care. For example, mainstream media encourages things like “taking a Lush bubble bath” and “deleting your social media accounts”. Making such claims goes without recognizing that taking a Lush bubble bath is a privilege, not common to many. Self-care is NOT a spa day scene from a movie with bubbles and candles. Self-care IS showering after three days because you haven’t had the energy to get up out of bed and start your day. Not to mention, deleting social media accounts only serves as a Band-Aid effect. The Band-Aid effect is something I like to describe as dealing with the surface as opposed to getting to the root of the cause. In other words, it is putting a Band-Aid over a wound when stitches are actually required.
While it is understood and apparent that individuals cope in different ways, it is imperative to implement effective coping mechanisms. Perhaps promoting emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping would be the piece that bridges the gap between merely functioning and functioning optimally. Check your sources, check for effectiveness, and check your privilege.
But why is Self-Care Important?
Between balancing a work schedule, keeping up with school, and maintaining a social life, things can get too busy. You may find that you will be too “busy” to self-care. People who are “too busy” may simply have poor time management skills. So instead, I encourage you to make self-care a priority. It is important because you have to meet your set of needs before you can attend to others. Self-care practices prevent burnout, minimize anxiety and depression, and can increase job performance and satisfaction. It can also reduce self-doubt, compassion fatigue, and can foster self-compassion.
Think about it this way: would you feel safe in the care of a burnt-out doctor, social worker, or nurse? Probably not. And on top of that, it would affect the quality of service they provided. Thus, I now challenge you to set a date and time to turn off your cellphone, revisit an old hobby, or spend time with your family. Be honest with yourself, it doesn’t have to be an unreasonable task, you don’t have to meditate three times a day for 15 minutes, or do cardio for an hour each night. Find an activity that you genuinely enjoy and select something that works with your time schedule – and just do it!