Prioritizing self-care helps build resilience against stressors that cannot be reduced entirely. From getting enough restful sleep to eating healthily and staying hydrated regularly, these habits contribute to maintaining overall wellness and feeling your best.
Prioritizing self-care can help you feel more nourished and energized, enabling you to become the healthiest version of yourself, which benefits those around you.
Self-care involves far more than facials, pedicures, and Netflix marathons; it can include engaging in regular physical activity such as exercising regularly, cooking nutritious meals from scratch, or simply spending quality time with loved ones.
1. Increased Energy
Students enrolled in clinical MSW programs often have too much to manage, including coursework, internships, work responsibilities, and personal lives. Self-care practices can help combat burnout by strengthening connections to your own needs and meeting those of loved ones more easily.
A recent Vagaro survey discovered that those who prioritize self-care have more energy, are better at prioritizing their health, and can focus on strengthening relationships more fully. Remembering to put yourself first doesn’t constitute selfish behavior – in fact, it is key for overall well-being and health!
Self-care takes many forms, from walking regularly and eating healthy meals to practicing mindfulness or limiting screen time. A successful plan should cater specifically to your unique needs.
If you feel overwhelmed, take a step back and analyze which aspects of your day cause stress. Once identified, brainstorm ways that you could address those issues and create a self-care strategy – for instance, if alcohol or food tend to relieve your distress, setting boundaries with friends and family could help – or creating a “no list” with activities known to make you unhappy are some ideas to get you started.
If you’re having difficulty prioritizing self-care, speak to your therapist! They can help create an individualized plan tailored specifically to you; and provide skills training such as managing anxiety and setting boundaries within relationships so that you may experience more joy and fulfillment from them.
2. Better Sleep
Sleep is essential to overall well-being and health, impacting our mood, metabolism, cardiovascular health, immunity, and longevity – making catching some Zs perhaps one of the best self-care activities!
An effective bedtime routine is crucial to getting quality restful slumber. From setting your devices aside earlier to using blue light-blocking glasses, creating a habit to wind down and prioritize sleep will allow you to achieve maximum rest – improving mental clarity, productivity and motivation throughout the day.
Physical self-care includes everything from eating nutritious food, prioritizing exercise, managing stress, and making appointments for healthcare or medication. However, one aspect that often gets neglected is getting adequate rest each night.
Recent research indicates that sleep habits play a vital role in our overall wellness and health, with poor sleeping practices linked to an increased risk of contracting viral infections like flu or colds. But simple steps like setting an early bedtime, taking vitamins daily and limiting caffeine can tremendously impact our restful slumber.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, try some of these strategies and consult your primary care provider for additional advice. Remember that investing in yourself now will pay dividends later (plus getting better sleep can only make you more productive and happy!!!)…
3. Increased Self-Esteem
Self-care is essential to improving overall well-being and health and building healthy self-esteem. Prioritizing yourself helps create positive relationships and manage adversity more easily; strong emotional and mental wellbeing also builds resilience, allowing us to adapt better when life presents unexpected obstacles.
Self-care practices offer immediate rewards in terms of reduced stress levels and increased feelings of worth. It is important to remember that high self-esteem does not come from doing specific activities or achievements alone; rather, a strong sense of worth stems from how one considers themselves about what matters in life.
Many find it challenging to prioritize self-care due to fears that doing so would be seen as selfish. This is particularly true of those working in caring professions or with significant care responsibilities, yet taking time away from work and family obligations for personal development and emotional and physical wellness will enable you to provide better service to loved ones when your own energy levels remain balanced.
Physical self-care activities may include getting enough restful sleep, regular physical activity, eating nutritiously, and maintaining a healthy weight. Such practices can reduce chronic disease risks while simultaneously increasing energy levels.
These activities can also help activate your relaxation response and decrease stress-induced physical ailments. If incorporating relaxation activities into your daily life is challenging, gradually add one activity at a time; that way, you can commit fully and see its effects on both body and mind.
4. Reduced Stress
Caretaking of one’s physical needs can help alleviate stress. Eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest are all crucial. Spending time outdoors or engaging in mindfulness practices such as meditation may also be therapeutic; as can socializing with friends and family or doing a crossword puzzle for an hour each day.
Everyone experiences stress. Some strain is inevitable, such as caring for an ill loved one; other strain can be in our control and avoided; for instance, taking on too many responsibilities can increase stress; prioritizing self-care activities and forgoing unhealthy coping strategies could prevent this type of burdensomeness.
One way to assess stress levels is to ask someone what activities and lifestyle choices they most enjoy doing. A list can then be created that highlights their positive aspects and ways to improve them further. They could also look for imbalances such as spending too much time online or eating unhealthy food that should be addressed immediately.
People who practice self-care routines typically enjoy lower stress levels and an improved quality of life than those who don’t, though its effects aren’t instantaneous; rather, developing healthy habits takes time and dedication. Professional assistance should also be sought if stress becomes overwhelming; for instance, a therapist can be invaluable for diagnosing and managing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.
5. Better Health
Besides improving self-esteem and stress reduction, making self-care part of your daily routine will help you feel healthier. This includes diet and exercise programs, sufficient sleep hours, and reduced risk for chronic illnesses – studies have demonstrated this fact! The more a person focuses on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being and health, the less likely they are to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Self-care practices should be tailored specifically for each person and don’t need to add more stressors in one’s life. Indeed, the more enjoyable one’s self-care routines are, the better its results will be – this approach should focus on having a balanced approach towards wellness that includes these seven areas.
Emotional/Psychological/Social: Journaling, socializing with others, volunteering, exuding positivity, exercising mindfully, and engaging in mindfulness are all great ways to boost emotional well-being and social skills. Physical: Dieting healthily, exercising regularly, avoiding harmful substances, maintaining good dental hygiene, and using preventative care services all make for good physical well-being; spirituality can also play a role here, and using preventative care services when required. Financially: Budgeting and financial planning to minimize debt while saving some funds aside for emergencies are ways of improving emotional well-being and psychological well-being.
Self-care may seem self-indulgent, but it is integral to improving overall well-being and health. Everyone approaches practicing self-care differently – sometimes trial-and-error is needed before finding what works for you! To help get you started on the path toward wellness, BetterHelp experts have designed a toolkit specifically for self-care practices – identify any area where more self-care may be required, then create an action plan around that. You will gradually see the benefits of your efforts become evident throughout your day and in relationships.
