How to Practice Self-Care
Self-care refers to the practices a person consistently takes part in to maintain good health and well-being. A person’s health and well-being can be threatened by the daily strains and challenges they encounter, and self-care is a way to alleviate the stress caused by these strains and challenges.
Self-care also helps to maintain relationships – which you may neglect due to other duties –and create a balance between your work or school life and personal life. It can help you refocus your priorities and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed from too many activities.
You can practice self-care in different ways. Exercise and healthy eating are key parts of self-care because they help keep your body strong and healthy. You may be neglecting your body’s health due to work or school, but you truly need a healthy body to feel good and effectively fulfill your responsibilities.
Relaxation is another key part of self-care. With work and school, you may feel that you never get the time to relax. You might even feel as though relaxation is a waste of time –time that could be spent at work or at school. But, relaxation is not laziness. Relaxation allows you to step away from your work and “recharge,” so your mind is not overwhelmed the next time you complete your activities. It’s similar to exercising – you cannot just exercise for hours without a break. The body needs time to recharge from an exercise session so that it is rested and not overwhelmed for the next one.
Lastly, practice time-management skills. Often, stresses in your life are caused by poor time management. We take on too many tasks or we spend too much time on one activity. Ways to improve your time-management skills include making a schedule (and sticking to it), creating lists of tasks that need to be completed, and avoiding procrastination. You also need to know when you have too much on your plate; avoid taking on too many tasks.
Self-care is a vital part of living a happy and healthy life, and it should not be neglected. Work/school may be an important aspect in your life, but you should not neglect the other areas of your life because they are just as important. If you ever feel overwhelmed or stressed, turn to self-care. Your body and mind will thank you.