Have you ever spent time with a friend or did a fun activity and thought to yourself Wow, I really needed that? Well, I definitely have. Moments like those have made me realize just how important it is to acknowledge my social and emotional needs. We are always aware of our basic needs such as the need for food and water, but the human experience is much more complex than that. There are countless necessities we often neglect, and one of those is taking care of ourselves.
Before taking a deep dive into what self-care was and what it entailed, I never thought it would become something essential to my well-being. I had a vague understanding of it but when it came to making it an integral part of my life, I didn’t know where to start. After gaining some experience, I’m here to tell you that it’s nowhere near as hard as you think.
All it takes is Including a few self-care habits into your daily routine to enjoy transformative effects on your mental health and well-being.
Understanding Self-Care and Mental Health
Wherever your self-care journey ends up taking you, your starting point should be getting a deeper understanding of what self-care is and what it has the potential to mean to you. Self-care can be understood as a holistic approach to taking care of your mind and emotions. It’s taking your attention away from the external world and looking internally. It’s being vulnerable with yourself and acknowledging your needs. It’s asking yourself questions like What can I do to improve? and How can I become a happier person? Self-care targets many aspects of your well-being such as your emotional, physical, social, and mental health. Some examples of self-care are eating healthier, exercising, getting more sleep, and meditating.
Unlike many other forms of mental help as therapy and counseling, which can be socially demanding, self-care only requires one person, you. It requires you to do a lot of self-reflection and be in tune with your emotions. Self-care means taking control of your own life. So, if you’re feeling anxious, depressed, or emotionally burned out know that you have the power to change your situation. Engaging in self-care practices helps you create a more balanced and stress-free lifestyle. It also helps you build emotional resilience, self-awareness, and a stronger mental state in general.
Daily Self-Care Tips for Mental Health
Emotional Self-Care
- Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
- Practicing mindfulness and meditation has numerous mental health benefits. It can help you lead a calmer and happier life by reducing stress, improving focus, and enhancing emotional regulation. Mindfulness and meditation practices are also known to help with cognitive ability and function.
- Here are some simple mindfulness and meditation techniques:
- Deep breathing
- Guided meditation
- Mindfulness apps
- Nature walks
- Journaling for Emotional Release
- Journaling is one of the best ways to sort out your emotions and develop mental clarity. There are a variety of things you can journal about such as your observations, experiences, challenges, emotions, or random thoughts you have throughout the day. There are no rules! Simply write what you feel.
- Here are some prompts for self-reflection:
- “What am I grateful for today?”
- “How am I feeling?”
- “What did I learn today?”
- “Was I kind to myself today?”
- “Where do I find inspiration?”
- “What do I want to achieve?”
- Set Healthy Boundaries
- I can’t overestimate the importance of setting healthy boundaries with people. If you’re like me and are a non-confrontational person, setting boundaries can feel difficult and awkward. But that’s something you must try your best to overcome. Getting more comfortable with saying no will save you from great amounts of emotional exhaustion and make your life easier. Remember, you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with and shouldn’t feel guilty for not wanting to!
- Here are some ways to keep healthy boundaries:
- Communicate
- Be assertive
- Acknowledge your feelings
- Be specific when naming limits
- Set boundaries early on
- Have priorities
Physical Self-Care
- Prioritize Quality Sleep
- Not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to your mental health. Sleep deprivation causes irritability, frustration, anxiety, and sadness. Being tired and barely functioning all day also leads to a severe lack of productivity, which can affect your mood and sense of accomplishment. Not to mention the many chronic health problems it may lead to such as high blood pressure and kidney disease.
- Here are some sleep hygiene tips:
- Keep a consistent bed-time
- Have a wind-down routine that is screen-free
- Practice relaxation techniques
- Read a book before bed
- Exercise for Mental Wellness
- Keeping your body active is one of the best things you can do for mental wellness. Research has shown that people who exercise regularly have considerably lower rates of mental illness. Exercising improves mood, reduces stress hormones, and boosts self-esteem. Exercising also improves sleep and helps you feel more alert and rejuvenated throughout the day.
- Here are some easy ways to incorporate physical activity:
- Walking
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Online exercise videos
- Biking
- Healthy Nutrition for Mental Clarity
- The food we eat has a direct effect on how we feel. Having a balanced diet gives your mind and body the nourishment they need to stay energized and healthy. Eating healthy can improve your mental state by improving brain function, boosting mood, and supporting gut health. Drinking water is also very important since dehydration can lead to anxiety and mood swings.
- Here are some foods that boost mood and energy levels.
- Dark chocolate
- Eggs
- Seafood
- Green vegetables
- Berries
- Nuts
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), self-care strategies like regular exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, and relaxation techniques can significantly improve mental well-being.
Social and Relationship Self-Care
- Connect with Loved Ones
- Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to let yourself be cared for. If you’re going through a hard time, remember that there are people who love you and want to help you, and you shouldn’t be afraid to let them! Connecting with loved ones helps you feel emotionally supported and can do wonders to reduce stress, anxiety, and sadness. Even just a phone call with someone you love can go a long way in helping improve your mood and give you motivation.
- Here are some tips for nurturing meaningful relationships even with a busy schedule:
- Check-in regularly
- Show your appreciation
- Spend quality time
- Build trust and communication
- Be consistent
- Join a Support Group or Community
- Support groups are judgment-free zones where people come together around a shared experience or concern. Joining a support group or community can help you overcome challenges by reminding you that others are struggling similarly and you are not alone. You will get the chance to gain support, understanding, and a strong sense of belonging and community.
- Here are some different types of support groups:
- In-person support groups
- Online support groups
- Peer support groups
- Therapeutic support groups
- Family support groups
- Practice Active Listening and Open Communication
- Maintaining any healthy relationship takes active listening and open communication. Be a genuine listener and take the words you hear to heart. Be transparent and communicate whenever you feel like there’s an issue. Relationships are hard work and it takes effort, trust, and patience to keep them afloat. Being a diligent listener and communicator will help you create a deeper connection and healthier relationship.
Mental and Intellectual Self-Care
- Limit Social Media and Digital Overload
- It’s important to limit how much time you spend online. There are countless ways excessive screen time and heavy social media use negatively affect mental health. Doomscrolling, or spending extended periods of time consuming information online, can overwhelm your senses and cause anxiety, stress, and depression. Social media addictions are real and can cause isolation, low self-esteem, sleep addictions, and many more negative effects.
- Here are some tips for healthy digital boundaries and mindful social media use:
- Schedule time away from devices
- Set boundaries
- Turn off notifications
- Connect with people offline
- Unfollow negative accounts
- Engage in Hobbies and Creative Outlets
- When our lives get hectic we often forget about how important it is to let our imagination run wild and be creative. Creating things is something that’s lots of fun while also promoting mental health. Engaging in creative activities reduces stress, enhances cognitive function, and promotes self-expression. Pour your heart and soul into a project! You will have fun while doing it and feel so accomplished when you’re done.
- Here are some ideas for creative activities:
- Painting
- Writing
- DIY projects
- Gardening
- Knitting/Crocheting
- Continuous Learning and Personal Growth
- Something I personally try to live by is the idea that you must never stop seeking knowledge. You could spend a whole lifetime learning and it still wouldn’t be enough to know everything about the world. Learning enriches both the mind and soul and is the best way to preserve your cognitive abilities. So don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and seek new heights!
- Here are some ways to challenge your mind:
- Reading
- Solving puzzles
- Crafting
- Learning a new language
- Learning to play an instrument
Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques
- Develop a Relaxation Routine
- After a long day, or If you’re feeling stressed and anxious, it’s good to have a relaxation routine to help you wind down. According to experts, the best times for relaxation routines are in the morning right before your day starts, and in the evening before bed. Making relaxation routines a daily habit can help reduce stress levels, boost mood, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, and releive anxiety.
- Here are some relaxation routine examples:
- Aromatherapy
- Deep breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Listening to music
- Time Management for Mental Clarity
- Being unproductive and idle all day always leaves a bad feeling in my stomach and I’m sure many can relate. It’s so tempting to tell yourself that you can do it later and that it’s not a big deal, but you will quickly regret your decisions and find that completing things on time would have been much easier. The best ways to overcome unproductivity and procrastination are organization and time management. Meticulously plan out your tasks in a way that will ensure they will get done on time while also not overwhelming you. There are many tools out there that can help you with this. Being more organized will make your days less stressful and allow you to lead a more fulfilling life.
- Here are some prioritization techniques:
- Pomodoro method,
- Eisenhower Matrix
- Daily planners
- Calendars
- Unplug and Take Breaks
- Just like how your body needs rest, so does your mind. Every now and then, it’s important to take time to mentally recharge and reset. Step away from anything that might overstimulate your brain or increase burnout and take a break for as long as you need. Having moments where your mind is at ease is essential to leading a stress-free life. These breaks don’t have to be long and it’s completely fine and normal to have time constraints. You can take microbreaks, which are breaks that last anywhere from a few seconds to five minutes. They may seem insignificant, but can help considerably with stress when done throughout the day.
- Here are things you can do during your mental break:
- Stretch
- Take a walk
- Take a quick nap
- Get some fresh air
- Drink some water
Overcoming Barriers to Self-Care
One thing that keeps a lot of people away from self-care is guilt. Due to factors like societal norms and low self-esteem, our minds can trick us into thinking we aren’t deserving of good things. But self-care is a necessity, not a Luxury. Everyone deserves to have the chance to better themselves and their lives. Taking care of yourself is not selfish and you should by no means feel guilty about it. It is essential to your mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
Another large barrier to self-care is people simply feeling like they don’t have time for it. As someone who has a pretty hectic schedule, I completely understand how it can sometimes feel like it would be easier to treat your well-being as an afterthought. In between everything else going on in your life, it might seem like taking care of yourself will just have to wait. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Self-care is not an all-or-nothing situation, it’s a process, and you can start as small as you like. Baby steps are still steps at the end of the day. There are many quick and easy self-care practices that can effortlessly fit into your busy lifestyle.
If you’re struggling with self-care it might also be because you’re looking at things from the wrong perspective. Self-care is not about self-criticism but about self-compassion. The point isn’t that there is something wrong with you or that you need to change. It’s that you should acknowledge and prioritize your emotional, physical, social, and mental needs. These are needs that everyone has and there is nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to them. Be more kind and understanding with yourself and you will see that self-care will become a lot easier.
Creating a Personalized Self-Care Routine
- Step 1: Identify Your Needs
- Asses yourself and your habits. What is something you’ve been struggling with lately? It could be that you’re not going outside enough and it’s starting to affect your mood. Or perhaps you’ve been doing late shifts at work and aren’t getting enough sleep. Or maybe school has been stressing you out to the point where you barely have time to think of anything else. Whatever it is, identifying it is important because it will help you figure out what self-care habits you want to include in your everyday life.
- Step 2: Choose Small, Achievable Habits
- Choose which self-care habits to include in your routine. I advise starting with small, achievable habits so that you can incorporate them without feeling overwhelmed or unused to the change. Be specific and realistic with the standards that you set for yourself because the more specific and realistic they are the more likely you are to achieve them.
- Step 3: Stay Consistent and Adjust Over Time
- Consistency is key. Self-care is something that should be practiced daily, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change and adjust your goals over time. Think about the person you were a year ago. Your priorities, goals, and aspirations were probably completely different from what they are now. Naturally, as you change and grow so do your habits and lifestyle. Your self-care routine shouldn’t be stagnant but should be catered toward what your strengths and weaknesses are at a specific moment.
- Step 4: Track Your Progress and Celebrate Wins
- Feeling better about yourself and your life is the biggest cause for celebration! Working towards being physically and mentally healthier takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Make sure to track your growth and reward yourself when milestones are reached. You deserve it!
Final Thoughts
Self-care isn’t just recommended, it’s essential to your mental and physical well-being. I’m not asking you to do a 180 and completely change your lifestyle, but I am asking you to change your perspective. You should strive to include self-care in your daily routine, even if the changes are minuscule. Tear down the barriers of guilt and self-doubt and don’t be afraid to put yourself first. Any small step you take to make self-care a larger part of your life is a step in the right direction. Check out these Self Care Techniques That Work Wonders if you’re interested in learning more.
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