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Self Care Reflections (and some ideas on how to create your own, personalised Self Care plan/routine)

The darker nights are drawing in, it’s getting colder and Christmas is on the not so distant horizon. You might be feeling stressed or run down and self care might be the last thing on your mind.


It is no secret that many of us struggle at this time of year. You might be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (if so you might want to check out my blog post - “Are you feeling SAD?”) or have heightened feelings of anxiety and depression.


We talk a lot about the importance of self care but what does it actually mean?

And what does it look like in practice?


Self care in its most simplest form is about taking care of yourself. And I mean all of yourself and not just your body or physical health. Self care includes the whole of you – your mental, emotional, spiritual, physical, social, creative and digital wellbeing.


Self care looks different for everyone because, no big surprises here, we are all different so what might work for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another.


Below I’m sharing some thoughts on what you might want to consider to come up with your own, personalised self care routine or plan.


Self care is a broad term so I have divided it into several categories that you might like to reflect on:


Basic self care (which will help with your physical wellbeing):

Eating healthily – think about your dietary requirements, for example if you’re vegetarian or if you have a medical condition and make sure you get all the nutrients that you need.


You might want to cut down on certain things or eat more fruit and vegetables.


It might be as simple as making sure you eat regular meals or that you drink plenty of fluids.


Exercise - please don’t think this means you have to go to the gym. If you like going to the gym, that’s great but if that’s not your cup of tea that’s fine too. Think of something that you might enjoy doing, for example going for regular walks or going for a run.


You might want to buddy up with a friend and meet for walks & chats. If you don’t feel like leaving the house, have a look at exercise videos or classes and see what takes your fancy.


Even little changes like taking the stairs instead of the lift or making sure you get up and move every 45 minutes can really benefit your physical health.


Sleep - make sure you get enough sleep on a regular basis. Sleep is really important and if you’re struggling to sleep well this can have a serious impact on your overall health. You might want to reflect on your bedtime routine. Here are some ideas to help you get a better night’s sleep:


Avoid caffeine after lunchtime

No screens before bed

Spend some time relaxing and switching off before going to bed - this could be taking a bubble bath, having a hot drink, listening to relaxing music, journalling (worry lists, anyone?) or reading


Make sure your bed is comfortable and that your bedroom is not too hot or too cold

If you do find yourself waking up in the night, you might want to get up and do something soothing before returning to bed.

If you’re struggling with your sleep and this has been going on for a while, please ask for help and support.


Physical health

Some additional things that might benefit your physical health might be to attend health appointments and maintain your personal hygiene. You might think this is obvious but when you’re feeling depressed, taking a shower can feel like a mountain to climb.


Emotional wellbeing

Our emotions are a big part of who we are but we don’t always process or deal with them in the best way. We use unhelpful coping strategies such as comfort eating, alcohol or shopping to numb our anxiety and stress but they only work in the short term and don’t actually get rid off the feelings.


Here are some ideas you might like to consider or try:

Check in with yourself - how are you really feeling? Is there anything that is worrying you or stressing you out? Journalling can be great for this but even spending a few minutes checking in with how you are doing can be helpful.


Acknowledge your feelings – whatever they may be, it’s okay to feel.


Be honest with yourself - this can be difficult but being honest with yourself about what is going on for you and when you are struggling means that you can ask for help and support when you need it


Boundaries - consider your boundaries and whether they need adjusting or whether you might need to set new ones


Mental Wellbeing

You might want to consider:

Things you enjoy doing and making time for them - this is important because it makes you feel better and good. And no, you’re not being selfish for doing those things.


Learning to say no – being busy seems to be the new status symbol but overextending yourself can leave you feeling  burnt out and depleted. Learning to say no is important and part of establishing healthy boundaries. It will also allow you to spend your time on the things and with the people that really matter to you.


Social Wellbeing

Connecting with others - as human beings we are social and connecting with others is good for our wellbeing. You might want to regularly meet up with friends or spend time with family.

You might want to think about volunteering if there is a cause that’s close to your heart. This can be a great way of meeting new people and making friends.

 

Creative Wellbeing

If you like doing something creative here are some ideas (they can be great for processing feelings or managing stress):

Journalling

Painting

Writing

Crafting

Dancing/singing

Making a collage


Digital Wellbeing

We live in an increasingly  digital world and most of us are  glued to our screens. You might want to think about how much time you spend on your phone, laptop or in front of the TV.


Are you happy? Does social media leave you feeling less than?


If so, you might want to consider your boundaries and cut down on your screen time. For some more thoughts on this you might want to check out my recent blog post “Taking a Break from Social Media and why it might be good for you”.


Things to help you stick to your self care routine/plan

Variety - having a few things on your list will help because you might need different things at different times and also doing the same thing might get boring


Small changes or tweaks to your routine will be more sustainable long term


You might want to tag self care activities onto anything you already do in your daily routine - again this will make it easier to stick to your self care plan


Remember self care is not selfish - it’s essential and you deserve to be taken care of. You are just as important as everyone else in your life!



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