The Benefits of Self-Care
“I don’t have enough time to do things for me.”
“I was going to do this, but I’ll do it another day.”
“I’m tired and sad. I don’t feel up to this.”
If you have had any of these thoughts, then you may struggle with self-care.
Many people struggle to prioritize themselves and plan out activities to take care of themselves. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed with school, work, and/or family. It is also normal to feel there is not enough time in the day for all of those things and also for self-care. Self-care refers to taking the time to do things that helps your physical and mental health.
Stress can often lead to physical symptoms, such as headaches, acne, muscle tension, risk of cardiovascular or autoimmune disease, and risk of hypertension or hypotension. Stress can often cause changes in our mood and in our behavior, such as an increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms, increase in restlessness and tension, lack of motivation or focus, feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, and becoming disconnected and isolated from others. Therefore, it is important to find ways to mitigate these adverse effects from stress and to find ways to integrate self-care into everyday routines. There are many benefits of and ways to engage in self-care.
Stress can interfere with overall well-being and day-to-day functioning. It can accumulate and cause more severe adverse health effects over time. Individuals in stressful home or work environments benefit from engaging in self-care as it reduces stress associated with demanding careers and overwhelming family situations.
- When people engage in self-care, they allow themselves an opportunity to engage in positive and pleasurable experiences. Engaging in positive and pleasurable experiences results in increased relaxation and happiness.
- Self-care activities can reduce anxiety, improve your mood, and help you develop more self-confidence in your abilities.
- Self-care has been shown to increase your adaptability to changes, recover from challenges, and build stronger relationships and friendships.
- Individuals who engage in self-care experience lower levels of burnout and higher levels of compassion and satisfaction in both personal and professional roles.
Ways to Engage in Self-Care
Some people choose to engage in a self-care activity for a few minutes and others may want to do a self-care activity for a few hours. It important to monitor your moods and your behaviors to determine when is an appropriate time to engage in self-care. This may looking like purposefully scheduling time during your day for a self-care break or noticing that you are not feeling your best and could benefit from relaxation. Self-care can including, but is not limited to, the following:
- Taking a short break from school or work.
- Rewarding yourself for your efforts or successes.
- Finding new ways to connect with family or friends.
- Taking care of your body through exercising, healthier eating, and plenty of sleep.
- Practicing relaxation or mindfulness, such as daily writing, reading a book, watching a show, dancing to your favorite song, or participating in a community event.
The biggest key to self-care is self-acceptance and self-compassion!
For more information, please visit these resources:
Alkema, K., Linton, J. M., & Davies, R. (2008). A study of the relationship between self-care, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout among hospice professionals. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 4(2), 101-119. https://doi.org/10.1080/155242508023553934
Barnett, J. E., Baker, E. K., Elman, N. S., & Schoener, G. R. (2007). In pursuit of wellness: The self-care imperative. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(6), 603–612. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.38.6.603
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (July, 2022). Care for yourself. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/stress-coping/care-for-yourself/index.html
Mayo Clinic (March, 2021). Stress management. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987
Mental Health First Aid (March, 2022). How and why to practice self-care. https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/2022/03/how-and-why-to-practice-self-care/#:~:text=In%20a%20national%20survey%2C%20Americans.
National Institute of Mental Health (December, 2022). Caring for your mental health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health
World Health Organization (February, 2023). Stress: Questions and answers. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress
Sanchez-Reilley, S. Morrison, L. J., Carey, E., Bernacki, R., O’Neill, L., Kapo, J., Periyakoli, V. S., & deLima Thomas, J. (2013). Caring for oneself to care for others: Physicians and their self-care. Journal of Supportive Oncology, 11(2), 75-81. https://doi.org/10.12788/j.suponc.0003
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