How many times have you heard someone say after a stressful day “I’m headed home to do some self-care?” Usually what they mean is that they plan to splurge on junk food and binge watch How To Get Away With Murder on Netflix. This may be a really great way to decompress from a long day for some, though for others it may only increase feelings of being overwhelmed due to putting important things off. So then what truly is considered self-care? How do we know when we are doing it effectively and can it change day to day?
Psychology Today defines self-care as “caring for ones body, mind and soul everyday, not just when you are sick”. This is crucial! Many times when individuals come into our office they struggle identifying things that enrich their mind, body, and soul. Many of them blame a busy schedule or lack of resources for their inability to care for themselves. As a society we have watered down the term self-care and instead replaced it with more to-do lists and google reminders.
At the Center, we find that when done effectively self-care has the ability to rejuvenate and refresh creativity. Our clients claim to feel well rested and less moody towards those around them. When done thoughtfully it can be seen as a pleasure rather than a task. So how do we have success in planning self-care?
- Do it often and always: Self-care can take 5 minutes or 25 minutes. It can even go beyond this point. The purpose is to find a time that works for you and stick to it! You deserve this standing reservation for a bit of self love. We recommend doing something to care for yourself each day; this can inspire excitement in your week!
- Decide if others will join you: Of course self-care is taking care of YOURSELF, but who says you can’t do that while being around others? Some of our clients recharge by being with others, as some extroverts may find this to be the case. If this is you, self-care may look like watching a movie with friends or calling a family member to share your day or a bit of encouragement. Either way, decide how you prefer to be cared for. Maybe you aren’t a people person and would prefer a quiet evening at home or a five minute check-in during your break time. Whatever floats your boat, just get sailing…
- Change it up: Sometimes we see clients being unsuccessful at keeping a self-care plan simply because they’ve been trying the same routines for months and they find them no longer effective. Change it up! We find that when people change up their routine it adds an element of excitement to the thought of caring for yourself. For example: One client, without fail used to take herself on a movie date to the $5 movie in her local community. After a few months of this, she lost interest in attending the movie. She soon found that her movie date was no longer satisfying her craving to be cared for. After discussing this with a professional she found that presently she enjoyed watching Love is Blind on Netflix and found more enjoyment in that simple practice. Like clock work, she switched her routine out for an easy night in and there was the spark again.
Here at Restoration Therapy Center, we see self-care as a romance between the person and themselves. We are constantly changing and therefore need to constantly learn new ways to appreciate ourselves. To read more on Self-care, check out the link below and thanks for stopping by!
Psychology Today: Self Care 101