What is self-care and how can you practice it?
Care For Your Mental Health
The World Health Organization’s definition of self-care is “The ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider”. Essentially, self-care is about looking after yourself to stay healthy. This way, you can be capable of doing your job, helping and caring for others, and accomplishing everything you need to in a day.
What is Self-Care?
The ultimate goal of self-care is to maintain your physical and mental health. You achieve this by engaging in various activities that positively impact your emotional, physical, social, and spiritual well-being. Self-care is about doing things that bring you joy and doesn’t necessarily have to cost anything. In the long run, it’s about doing things you enjoy.
Why is Self-Care important? What are the Benefits?
Self-care reduces the impact of negative emotions like anxiety, stress, anger, and sadness. It helps us maintain balance in our lives, build a sense of purpose and belonging, and motivates us to achieve our life goals, which generally improves our quality of life.
Additionally, self-care can positively impact those suffering from mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, or stress.
Learn about the five areas of self-care
- Physical Self-Care includes prioritizing sleep, adopting an exercise routine that you keep to, and having a healthy diet, as well as healthy hygiene.
- Emotional Self-Care is giving yourself permission to take a pause, say “no” to things that cause unnecessary stress, and take time out for yourself. It is about managing stress and practicing empathy.
- Social Self-Care involves having supportive family and friends, building a community of care, and practicing healthy social media habits.
- Spiritual Self-Care starts with daily acts of kindness, meditation, and pursuing the beliefs and values that are important to you.
- Psychological Self-Care involves learning new things, engaging motivation, practicing mindfulness and creativity.
How to start a self-care routine
- Determine which activities bring you joy, restore your balance, and give you energy.
- Incorporate a small positive behavior into your weekly routine.
- Build on the behavior and reflect on how you feel.
- Add more practices over time.
- Gather support for your practices from friends, family, community, workplace, or your healthcare provider.
Self-care positively affects living your healthiest life. Investing in self-care means investing in your holistic well-being. It’s not selfish; it’s necessary to be available, kind, and empathetic to yourself and others.
Direct Primary Care, with its longer appointments, allows providers to work with you all year round to promote and support self-care.
For more on how self-care practices can enhance your workplace experience and overall mental well-being, check out our related blog, “Discover the Power of Self-Care for a Thriving Workplace”. This article dives deeper into strategies to support mental wellness on the job, emphasizing the importance of creating a balanced work environment where mental health is prioritized. You’ll find valuable insights on how self-care practices at work can boost productivity, foster resilience, and cultivate a more positive mindset.
By connecting self-care to mental health in the workplace, you can experience improved focus, reduced stress, and a stronger sense of fulfillment in your daily tasks. Embracing self-care in all its forms—from physical to psychological—can empower you to show up as your best self, both personally and professionally. Read more in “Discover the Power of Self-Care for a Thriving Workplace” to see how you can make small but impactful changes that benefit both you and your work environment.
